


under spotlights & streetlights

by matchapoets



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, Model AU, Model Minghao, and minghao was BORN for model au, homophobia on a large scale, ive been wanting to write verhao for so long, junhao best friends, other members just mentioned or not included, photographer vern, set in china & korea, so this happened oops, sorry - Freeform, specifically in the fashion industry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 07:21:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matchapoets/pseuds/matchapoets
Summary: Hansol felt most at home behind a camera. Minghao felt most at home in front of one. They weren't supposed to fall in love, but somewhere between standing under spotlights & streetlights, they found it anyway.
Relationships: Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 22
Kudos: 87





	under spotlights & streetlights

**Author's Note:**

> oh boy here we go
> 
> i'm here to spread the love for verhao & also model hao because that boy is ART
> 
> trigger warning for major homophobia! it's mentioned mainly related to reputation as a celebrity, specifically within the fashion industry. there are no scenes containing specific homophobic encounters, but it is still widely discussed so just a heads up
> 
> thank you for clicking on this, and i hope you enjoy!

“Hansol, did you hear yet?”

Hansol was almost two steps out the door for his lunch break when Chan came running up to him. He immediately felt bad for getting caught; Chan normally joined Hansol for lunch, but Hansol had slept so late last night that he was lacking the energy for proper socializing. Judging by Chan’s question, however, he must have been looking forward to their lunch today to share the latest news.

“You know I haven’t,” Hansol answered. 

t had been a few years since he had joined the company for a relatively well-known fashion magazine in Korea, with high hopes as a new photographer to join and run shoots for famous models. He had long since realized however that he was still an underling: any really well-known models didn’t go to him, and his ambition had since died down. The office gossip seemed useless, since he knew he wasn’t going to be in the thick of it anyway.

“Some huge Chinese model is doing a shoot with us, but Soonyoung is going to be sending someone ‘fresh’ overseas instead of the usual people,” Chan replied, sounding all too excited.

Stepping out of the office building, they turned down the sidewalk towards the cafe they liked to frequent.

“Well Kim Mingyu and Yoon Jeonghan are scheduled with us this month, and you know Soonyoung won’t let anyone other than Jisoo or Seokmin do those shoots,” Chan began to speculate.

“What do you mean by someone fresh?” Hansol asked. He tried not to let it get his hopes up, but this was out of character for Soonyoung as his boss. 

Did he have a chance of being sent overseas? Even if it wasn’t a famous Korean model, there were plenty of models it would be an honor to photograph. He was wracking his brain for Chinese models’ names, now only half listening to Chan.

“I don’t know. He said he’s announcing who gets the job in a few days,” Chan said as they reached the cafe, walking inside as the little bell above the door dinged to announce their arrival.

—

“Me?”

Hansol almost spluttered out the question from shock. He was in Soonyoung’s office, trying to school his face into something more professional and less giddy, but judging by the look on Soonyoung’s face, he wasn’t doing a very good job at it.

“Yes, you. Would you rather it not be you? I can send someone else on the job, if you’d prefer,” Soonyoung began, but Hansol cut him off before he could continue.

“No! I mean, no, of course I’m up for it,” Hansol stuttered out in surprise. He stood up from his seat opposite Soonyoung’s desk, meaning to shake his hand to express his gratitude, but Soonyoung stayed seated with his legs crossed and demeanor still poised. It would feel annoying to Hansol how nonchalant Soonyoung was acting, given that Hansol liked to consider him a friend with how nice he was as his boss, but Soonyoung’s soft smile gave away his true feelings over his more relaxed attitude. He looked at Hansol with nothing short of pride.

“You can go now,” Soonyoung said, and Hansol nodded. He turned towards the door, feeling awkward in his attempt to look collected when it felt like every part of him was singing with joy as he reached for the doorknob.

“Oh, Hansol?” Soonyoung called right before he could leave. Hansol turned to see the mischievous glint in Soonyoung’s eyes that usually only appeared after a drink at company socials.

“I haven’t announced you’re the one going yet, but I’m sure if you tell Chan, it’ll have the same effect soon enough,” Soonyoung said, and the teasing of his friend was so not what Hansol was expecting that he couldn’t help but laugh. It only made him smile further when Soonyoung laughed too.

Less than an hour later, Hansol was putting that theory to the test.

“You’re joking,” Chan said disbelievingly. Chan could usually tell that Hansol was joking when Hansol’s expression wouldn’t change, but he couldn’t help the grin that was spreading across his face to match his excitement. Chan’s eyes widened.

“No way! I’m so happy for you!” Chan exclaimed, hugging Hansol tightly as he said it. “So when are you heading out?” 

Chan was pulling Hansol along by the hand with a renewed excitement from the news. They entered the convenience store near their office, still in their work clothes and on the hunt for a treat since Chan had been unable to convince Hansol to grab anything healthier than cup ramen. 

“At the end of the week,” Hansol answered as he scanned the shelves of choices and picked up one to take to the cashier. Chan was trailing behind him like an excited puppy, showing more excitement at Hansol’s new opportunity than Hansol was allowing himself to. After so long of waiting for something like this, it still felt a little unreal.

“Well, you have to tell me everything about it, ok hyung? I haven’t been to China except for once when I was little with my family, and there’s lots of amazing models there too! What if you get someone like-“

“Slow down. You’re going to end up making me psych myself out,” Hansol grinned, turning to see Chan catch himself, closing his mouth with a grin still on his face.

“Ok, but you promise to tell me everything?” Chan made one last request as Hansol thanked the man working the register, grabbing his cup noodles and heading for the door. After the excitement of the day, curling up in pajamas in front of the tv and eating this felt perfect.

“Promise.”

—

Hansol really wished he had brushed up on his Chinese before he set foot in Beijing, but it was too late for that now.

He felt a little intimidated by the giant city, though it wasn’t much different from the atmosphere of Seoul. He had just never been in a place by himself where the language and signs were unfamiliar. After the day off that he had spent wandering around as a tourist, he had called Chan before sleeping just to talk to someone he didn’t have to mime his request to.

However it was the next morning now, and Hansol was walking to the building where the shoot would take place. He still didn’t know the model’s name, which was why he had cut off Chan from listing models a few days before; he didn’t want to set any unnecessary expectations for the subject. He’d discovered long before that he would rather just see how the shoot played out in the moment than come up with an idea beforehand.

Once he walked in and had gotten the lanyard designating him as the photographer for today’s shoot, he made his way up the elevator to the right floor. Hansol was trying not to let his nerves get the better of him at the prospect of his first big shoot. He took a few breaths, closing his eyes to calm his racing heart before the elevator dinged. The familiar weight of his camera hanging around his neck helped him as well, the object having been a source of comfort to him since before he had even applied to college. It was the reason he’d gotten this far.

_This is your chance. You can do this._

The elevator doors slid open and a woman wearing a staff lanyard smiled when she saw him, gesturing for him to follow her. She began speaking in rapid Chinese before catching herself, glancing at Hansol, who gave her a sorry smile before shaking his head. She nodded and didn’t speak more before leading him to the right area.

The elevators had opened up into a hallway with doors lining either side, various people bustling down its length, seemingly all with somewhere important to head to. Hansol had worked in modeling for years now, but never got used to the excitement of it all, starting to feel it run through his veins before they turned into the room for today’s shoot. 

Hansol knew how it was going to look, but it was still surreal to see it all set up for him anyway. Staff ran around everywhere, with various tripods and cameras set up facing the white screen that they would be photographing in front of. There were racks of clothes on wheels along the outskirts of the area, being adjusted or rolled in and out of a side door. Even more staff were adjusting the lights, up on ladders in order to get the perfect angle.

“Chwe Hansol?” Someone asked from behind him, and Hansol broke out of his thoughts as he turned towards the source of the voice. A man was looking straight at him, standing close enough that Hansol was embarrassed he hadn’t noticed him until he had said something.

The man was carrying a clipboard and looked at Hansol with an expression that meant business. He was wearing a nice button-up top and jeans, and when Hansol saw his face, he noticed that the man was pretty enough to be mistaken for a model himself if Hansol didn’t know better.

“You’re the photographer, right? I’m Wen Junhui, manager,” He said, holding out his hand for a firm handshake. Hansol was a little surprised that the man could speak Korean, and with a near perfect accent that showed he was definitely fluent. Hansol took his hand, finding himself grateful for the hint of familiarity when Hansol felt a little intimidated by his surroundings.

“Where do you want your camera set up? He’ll be out in five minutes,” the man asked, ending the familiarities. Hansol hesitated for a second, scanning the set up before leading him to one of the tripods. 

“Okay, perfect,” Junhui said before a phone began buzzing loudly on his person and he nodded, taking the call and switching to rapid-fire Chinese as he walked away. 

Hansol still didn’t know who the model today was, but his curiosity was getting the better of him as he set up. He wondered if Junhui’s bilingual ability was a hint that the model often worked in Korea as well. Hansol didn’t know any big names from China that he was certain spoke Korean, but then again, Hansol didn’t follow the gossip columns obsessively enough to know.

"Okay, ready!" Hansol heard from somewhere off to his left, knowing enough Chinese to understand that much. The staff stilled and Hansol realized they had finished setting up.

_You got this_ , Hansol reminded himself one last time as his heart fluttered nervously again. Soonyoung had chosen him for this. He sighed deeply to calm himself, but if he had known who would walk out of the dressing room, he would have known it wasn't worth it.

One of the prettiest boys Hansol had ever seen stepped out, wearing a trendy brown suit with his hair styled in handsome curls. He had a lanky frame that fit the clothes perfectly, and he smiled at the various staff greeting him. Hansol was following him with wide eyes and could have sworn his smile was nervous, as if he felt a little out of place with so much attention towards him. Hansol would have thought that would be strange for a model.

"Hello everyone, I'm Xu Minghao, thank you for helping with the shoot today," he greeted the staff, but Hansol was sure no one needed the introduction. He was surprised he hadn't thought of Minghao earlier. He was no doubt a famous model in China seeing as he was often on major magazine covers, and Hansol quickly realized it was for good reason. Minghao had an aura that seemed to demand attention, and Hansol was more than a little starstruck.

"Should we get started?" Minghao asked, and Hansol realized a beat too late that Minghao's eyes were trained on him.

"Oh, yes, sorry," Hansol replied, stepping behind the tripod. His foot caught on the leg in his nervousness, but Hansol's hand reached out and caught the camera before it could fall, holding it in place. Before Hansol could die of embarrassment at his sudden clumsiness, Minghao let out a high-pitched giggle that he thought might melt his heart.

They quickly started the shoot, and Hansol found himself more relaxed as he stood familiarly behind the camera. If Hansol had thought Minghao simply standing there had been intimidating, it was nothing compared to the way Minghao modeled. The somewhat shy, polite boy seemed to change into another person entirely, working the camera in a way Hansol hadn't thought was possible.

Hansol started with the tripod but as the shoot went on, he switched to holding the camera and came closer, trying different, more experimental angles. He was not surprised to find that Minghao found a way to make each picture work. Hansol settled into the perfectionist mode that had initially made him fall in love with photography, as he began to shout suggestions for Minghao to try. Minghao somehow found ways to incorporate Hansol’s suggestions while also building off of them in ways Hansol hadn't thought about. It felt more like a creative partnership than any shoot Hansol could recall, and he was relishing the exhilarating feeling that came instead of the pressure of leading the shoot himself or obligation of conforming to the model.

Before Hansol had realized, they had shot with four different outfits and Junhui had appeared from the wings of the set to call for a lunch break. Hansol checked his watch, and noticed that a couple of hours had flown by in a way they hadn't in a long time while he was working.

The staff set down equipment to head to the tables of catered food, but Hansol stayed behind at the computer to examine the photos. He had expected to be alone as he scrolled through the pictures and marked the ones he preferred, but someone appeared next to him within minutes.

Minghao stepped around the camera equipment to glance at the screen, and Hansol noticed the model seemed to have an even stronger presence up close. Hansol sidestepped quickly to put some distance between them, a little intimidated, but trying not to show it. Minghao looked at him and said something quickly in Chinese, but it was unfamiliar to Hansol's ears.

"Oh, I don't really speak Chinese," Hansol said, feeling his cheeks flush. Of course when he was floored by someone beautiful, they had to have a language barrier between them.

"Oh, are you Korean? Sorry I didn't know," Minghao said in Korean, a little more accented than Junhui's had been earlier but perfectly understandable. Hansol must have looked at him with wide eyes that betrayed his surprise because Minghao giggled again, his smile charming in a boyish way that his strong expressions during the shoot didn't match.

"I studied in Korea for a while," Minghao said before his eyes flicked back to the monitor. Hansol grew more fascinated as he realized Minghao was looking at them with the same critical expression that Hansol had witnessed only in fellow photographers.

"I like that one," Minghao pointed at a picture Hansol had passed over. Hansol selected the picture, enlarging it on the screen. It was one that Hansol had taken with a bit of an experimental angle, but Minghao had looked straight into the camera, his posture natural but still exhibiting an aura that demanded attention. It had a bit of a stronger feel than the ones Hansol had been selecting, but he nodded in approval. As he stared at it longer, Hansol began to wonder how he had passed over it initially, and marked it as well.

"Did you study photography?" Hansol asked, impressed by the selection as he scrolled through the other pictures slowly.

"I dabble in it," Minghao replied. Hansol turned and smiled at Minghao, surprised that Minghao looked a little embarrassed at the admission. Hansol liked it though; the models he had worked for before hadn't ever shown interest in the pictures beyond their posture or styling. Minghao's interest in photography was refreshing to see.

"Great minds think alike, I guess," Hansol responded. He had been sitting down at the chair behind the computer, but Minghao sat down in the empty one next to him as they chose more pictures together.

After the lunch break, the final outfits went by in a bit of a blur for Hansol. He felt himself grow more and more excited as he worked, Minghao seeming to match with him perfectly. They worked even better now that Hansol felt confident suggesting things in more detail in Korean, knowing Minghao would understand. The shots felt even better than they had earlier, and Hansol would get an instant flow of creativity as he saw the new outfits Minghao changed into. It was a flash of inspiration that he hadn't felt in a long time, and the hours seemed to melt away.

Sooner than he wished, the shoot was over. Junhui had given him a ten minute warning and Hansol had complied, downloading the final pictures as everyone around him packed up. He was already engrossed in them, marking off ones and imagining Soonyoung's reaction when he sent them for inspection. He knew the pictures were good. The nervousness he had felt when he had first arrived was long gone, a new sense of pride rising in him as he examined the results of his work.

"How'd they turn out?" Minghao appeared next to him again, leaning over to check the photos as well. He made a noise of satisfaction and Hansol laughed, agreeing. He was glad Minghao had the same ability and creative mindset as him to tell how well the shoot had gone too.

"You're really talented, you know," Minghao said softly. Hansol turned to look at him. Minghao was giving him a small smile after complimenting him, and for some reason it made Hansol shiver. He accepted the praise shyly, looking back at the pictures.

Junhui walked over to them, saying something in Chinese and tapping Minghao's arm in a friendly way that didn't match the business attitude Hansol had seen earlier.

"You always want something spicy to eat," Minghao responded in Korean for Hansol's sake. The comment matched the way Hansol would tease Chan to the point that it made him smile.

"Hey, are you hungry?" Minghao asked and Hansol felt instantly flustered as he realized the question was directed to him.

"O-Oh, well I was just going to get something near my hotel..." Hansol trailed off. Minghao scoffed and shook his head.

"You're in China, but you're not going to eat out? Now I'm obligated to show you what you're missing out on," Minghao said with such an appalled tone that it made Hansol laugh.

Minghao had already shown so many surprising sides of himself in the time Hansol had worked with him, from the way he had seemed flustered by the attention when he arrived, to this playful side, and to the unforgettable way he modeled. It was a little dizzying paired with Minghao’s undeniable beauty as a model, which was enough to grab Hansol's attention by itself.

"Is that alright?" Hansol asked, looking between Junhui and Minghao. Junhui had adjusted to Minghao’s friendliness to him quickly from the purely business relationship of the morning, and scoffed at Hansol playfully.

"We should be asking if _you're_ alright with it. Your ability to eat spicy food is about to be tested," Junhui teased with a bright smile. Hansol realized Junhui was sillier than he had expected.

Hansol looked back at the pictures, contemplating the request. He was in China by himself. It might as well be a sort of adventure. There really wasn’t a reason to deny the offer, especially when it seemed like he was going to get a good meal out of it.

"Give me a second to finish up here and I'll go with you," Hansol agreed. Junhui clapped in satisfaction, but the way Minghao smiled gave Hansol pause. Hansol was expecting to feel Minghao’s satisfaction at doing the polite thing when offering the dinner invitation, but it seemed like the model was truly happy that Hansol was tagging along. Hansol's heart fluttered at the attention, and he turned to pack up his camera, hiding his own satisfied expression.

When he had accepted the job from Soonyoung, the opportunity to travel here to do this big of a shoot had seemed enough like a happy twist of fate. But something about Minghao made Hansol wonder if the promotion had only been the beginning.

—

"This is definitely better than the malatang we got from the vendor last month."

"You're so wrong, I can't even believe you. That sauce was heavenly."

"Hansol, don't listen to him. Eat this," Junhui finally addressed Hansol, who had been watching the exchange with poorly-hidden amusement.

Minghao muttered something under his breath in Chinese, but even Hansol could tell it was a curse towards Junhui. Hansol bit his lip to hide a laugh as Junhui muttered something back, pulling a piece of beef out of his broth with chopsticks and setting it onto Hansol's plate.

"Is this spicy?" Hansol asked, looking at the beef questionably. The rumors of the spiciness of China’s food had sent Hansol settling on something undeniably safe to eat: an order of dumplings that had undergone much scrutiny between Junhui and Minghao over different dumpling vendors before it was approved. Considering how neither of the two Chinese men had balked at the signs advertising “red-hot fiery noodles” and other such warnings Hansol steered clear of, he was questioning whether the seemingly harmless beef might be hiding a similar spiciness.

"I don't know, try it," Minghao said, putting a full bite of the noodles mixed with the same beef into his mouth. Hansol frowned, knowing he wasn't going to get any clues out of the two of them. He had the distinct feeling that meant his suspicions were correct.

Reluctantly, Hansol picked up the beef with his chopsticks. He was usually pretty good with spicy food, but if it turned out to be hotter than he expected, he didn't want to appear like he couldn't handle it in front of Minghao. The model had changed into casual clothes for their dinner outing, a black t-shirt and joggers, but he was still intimidatingly handsome.

Hansol put the beef in his mouth without further hesitation. He had been avoiding the others’ curious glances to hide his reaction if it was embarrassing, but it had been no use; he had barely begun to chew when his mouth felt like it had exploded into fire. His eyes widened as he coughed in surprise while Junhui began to cackle. 

"You put the extra sauce in, didn't you?" Minghao asked Junhui without surprise as Hansol squeaked in protest, reaching for the closest glass of water and beginning to chug it. He'd swallowed the piece of beef, but his throat still felt consumed in flame. Junhui only laughed harder.

Time passed quickly. The night breeze was cool as the nearby tables filled with people chattering and laughing among themselves. Hansol may not have understood most of the snippets of conversations he caught, but he could tell from the atmosphere that this market was a pleasant place, filled with people simply catching up and enjoying street food. Hansol probably would have enjoyed the authentic food himself if he had stumbled upon it alone, but the company he was with made it only better. Junhui was much goofier than he had seemed during work, and he shared endlessly embarrassing stories of Minghao. Hansol learned more about when they had studied together in Korea: they'd met at university, and bonded over their shared experience and homeland. Eventually, Junhui had decided to help Minghao as his manager when Minghao had decided to go into modeling. It was far removed from Hansol’s reality, and he found himself more and more glad he had tagged along with Minghao and Junhui for dinner.

After a while there was a lull in the conversation, and they got up and threw their trash away. The next part of the night was obvious: the three of them would go their separate ways, and Hansol would likely not see them again for a while (if ever). Hansol was surprised at the disappointment he felt; he hadn’t realized he didn't want it to be over yet.

Hansol’s eyes flicked across the street and spotted a dessert stand not far away from where they stood. He looked back at Minghao and took in the effortlessly confident way he was standing, flicking through his phone disinterestedly. Hansol had already stepped out of his comfort zone once that night by accepting the dinner invitation, but he was already wondering what else could happen.

"I'm craving macarons. Do you want to get some with me?" Hansol blurted out. Minghao looked up at him, and Hansol didn't know if he was delusional over how pretty the boy was, but he would have sworn there was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked him over.

"Actually yeah, I wouldn't mind," Minghao replied, glancing over at Junhui, who looked between the two of them before shrugging simply.

"I'm going to go back to the hotel, but bring me some?" Junhui asked, flashing Minghao a winning smile. Minghao rolled his eyes, but nodded, clearly fond of the other even though he acted like he felt otherwise.

Hansol was still a little dumbfounded that his impulsive request had succeeded as he and Minghao set off on the path alone. They crossed the street that was still crowded despite the late hour. Minghao didn't go straight to the dessert stand Hansol had spotted, but he looked like he knew his way. Hansol wasn’t going to protest after being fed a tasty dinner he wouldn’t have found without Minghao, so he followed in silence.

"There's a good place a few blocks from here," Minghao explained once they reached the other side, but Hansol had already wondered something else while watching the model in the city he was clearly comfortable with.

"Do you not live in Beijing?" Hansol asked. He had assumed otherwise, but of course Hansol realized now that maybe this was just as much a business trip for Minghao as it was for him.

"I live in Shanghai now, but we come here a lot," Minghao said. He was walking fast, and Hansol lengthened his stride to keep up. The crowd had thinned within a few blocks, and less shops had lights on. Compared to the hustle and bustle just a street away, it felt much more intimate.

They entered a small building on the same street. The entrance was hidden from the majority of the street, and Hansol knew he probably would have missed it as well if he had been on his own. Inside was a hidden gem of a macaron shop, with the walls painted a soft pastel that brightened up the space despite the dark night outside. The different macaron flavors were displayed next to the cashier, and Hansol scanned the choices as Minghao ordered.

"Try this one," Minghao said once they received their order, dropping a bright, yellow lemon-flavored macaron into his hand. After the spiciness from earlier, the sweet treat looked even tastier to Hansol and he took a bite, sighing happily at the lemon flavor that burst delectably in his mouth.

Minghao walked towards the far end of the small shop and started climbing up a narrow set of stairs. Hansol followed behind him, emerging on the landing onto a second floor with seating, the chairs matching the cute cafe theme of the macaron place. There was a wide window facing the street, and Hansol could see the lights of the busy city beyond. The two of them found a place in the empty seating area and shared the roll of macarons they'd ordered in a content silence. Hansol chewed happily, looking out at the city and content to wander in his thoughts.

"I grew up around Anshan, which is another city, but my family would always go to this park on the weekends," Minghao started, looking a little sheepish for thinking out loud as he glanced at Hansol. Hansol nodded for him to go on, letting him know he was listening.

"I didn't used to think of it that much, but there's so many people in these cities that sometimes I miss it, you know? All the trees and the lakes," Minghao said. He trailed off as if he was embarrassed for reminiscing.

Hansol watched the boy besides him curiously. He couldn't imagine a younger Minghao very well, and the way he looked now as he sat in the chair with the nightlife as his backdrop, he looked like he wouldn’t belong anywhere other than the never-ending action of the city. Hansol felt distinctly like he was being let in on something secret, as if the famous model was letting him see a little bit of what was underneath.

"If I went to a park, I would probably just take pictures everywhere. I don't leave Seoul much. Only to visit my family," Hansol said. It had been a while since he had deliberately gone to a park or a garden. The most he had done in years to reconnect with nature was walk by the Han River.

"Maybe we could go together, then I could model for you," Minghao suggested, nudging Hansol's shoulder with the small smile playing on his lips that had an effect on Hansol much too strong for a boy he'd only known one day. It was a nice suggestion, a nice fantasy, between the famous model and a simple photographer. Hansol’s heart fluttered as he let himself indulge in the wish that it could be real.

They talked further, the topics flowing between them like water: Hansol spoke of growing up mixed in Korea, Minghao told of being in a country you didn't know the language of, then he described the nastier sides of the seemingly glamorous industry he was in. Hansol found himself sharing more than he normally would, but Minghao listened all the same. Hansol was shocked by how _easy_ it all was; Minghao knew what to say to make him laugh, or empathized to the point that he put Hansol’s feelings in better words than he could. It was a little unreal. 

Finally, they left the little macaron shop once Minghao realized they were close to closing. They thanked the shopkeeper who smiled at them warmly, then they were out on the streets again. Hansol found himself looking back at the building; it felt a little like a magic hole in the wall after the easy connection he’d found with Minghao inside, and his heart ached a little to see it go. The streets were emptier now, but the strangeness of the city felt more familiar, as if having Minghao by Hansol's side after the conversation they’d shared made it less overwhelming.

They stopped at an intersection Hansol recognized. Hansol turned towards his hotel, but Minghao caught his arm before he could cross. Hansol turned to face him, stepping a little closer than was probably necessary, but Minghao didn't back away. He felt closer to the boy in front of him after just one night and was a little bold because of it. It was all too easy to forget that Minghao was a famous model and he was just a photographer.

"When do you go back to Korea?" Minghao asked. Hansol felt his heart sink a little. He sighed inwardly, knowing this would probably be the last time in a while they'd see each other. He couldn’t hide the way his breath caught though, when he realized Minghao’s voice betrayed a little hope of more time before Hansol had to leave.

"Tomorrow morning," Hansol answered. 

There was a silence as Minghao nodded, his eyes dropping down to the pavement as if in thought. Minghao hadn't let go of Hansol's hand yet from when he'd stopped him from leaving, and Hansol was trying not to focus on the heat of their skin touching.

"I got invited to do a show in Korea next month," Minghao started sheepishly. 

Hansol’s eyes widened as he watched how Minghao bit his lip nervously. Hansol had expected tonight to be a wistful memory months from now of a stolen night with a boy that had been too good to be true. He was realizing now with a strange jump in his chest that maybe the way they clicked hadn't been a one-sided feeling. He tried not to get his hopes up too high as he held on to Minghao’s next words.

"Can I have your number? I wouldn't mind talking to you again," Minghao asked. His voice trailed off at the end again, and Hansol noticed he had a habit of doing so when he was unsure. Hansol was more than certain about this, though.

They traded phones and Hansol glanced up, pleased to see that Minghao had a small relieved smile on as he typed his information in before giving Hansol's phone back. Hansol looked down and saw Minghao's name written there.The sight made him feel like this was just a little too much like a dream.

"Well..." Hansol said, then laughed. He had been the one to trail off unsurely this time. Minghao laughed as well. It was a little awkward, but there was something undeniably giddy in the air between them too.

"I'll see you then," Minghao said quietly. He played with the end of his sleeve, and Hansol wondered not for the first time how Minghao was the same person that had modeled in front of his camera just that morning.

"Yeah. See you," Hansol said. It felt lame, but Minghao smiled widely and Hansol found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from him to leave first.

Hansol felt warm inside despite the cool night breeze with the promise of seeing each other again as Minghao's hand slipped out of his and he turned, walking away and melting into the Beijing crowd.

—

Hansol felt the air around the office was different when he returned.

Hansol had known the pictures were good, but he hadn't really expected this kind of response. He was getting singled out by coworkers who hadn't glanced at him before, and congratulated by other photographers he knew wished for the same type of opportunity he'd managed to score. Even Soonyoung had nodded at him approvingly shortly after he'd sent the preview of the issue his pictures would be on. The picture Minghao had pointed out as his favorite was going to be displayed on the magazine's front page. It was a little overwhelming, if he was honest.

"We have to celebrate!" Seungkwan offered the day the issue was released, pulling Chan and Hansol along during their lunch break. Hansol had felt a little like he was glowing all day, and his friends' compliments felt fantastic. Usually Seungkwan was the one who laughed a little too loudly, but Hansol found himself responding with the same high energy too as they ate lunch at Hansol's favorite barbecue place.

"Hey, what's that?" Chan gestured to Hansol's phone, a smile still lingering on his face from Seungkwan's latest joke . The phone had chimed twice consecutively before Hansol glanced at the phone, almost choking on his food when he read the notifications. There were two messages from Minghao staring up at him brightly on his screen.

**minghao**  
_i saw the pictures! you're amazing_

Hansol opened the messaging app and saw that the second text had been a short video. Xu Minghao, famous Chinese model, had sent Hansol a video of himself doing a thumbs up and winking, breaking out into a wide embarrassed smile right before the video looped again. Hansol almost couldn’t believe it.

It had been a few weeks since the day of the shoot when Minghao had shown him around Beijing after, and Hansol had felt a little like a filter had been placed over his eyes afterwards, the colors a little brighter and everything a little more meaningful. Despite exchanging numbers, Hansol hadn't known what to text the model, thinking of various things to say but eventually deleting before he ever pressed send.

That didn't mean he hadn't been thinking about him this whole time, though.

"Is that Xu Minghao?" Seungkwan asked incredulously next to him. Hansol startled and locked his phone, but Seungkwan had reached over and pushed on the screen, revealing the notification with Minghao's contact name clearly above it. Seungkwan let out a short scream and pushed Hansol's shoulder.

"You mean to tell me you didn't just photograph him, but you exchanged numbers?" Seungkwan asked a little too loudly in his shock. Hansol hushed him, but a nervous smile was spreading across his face. Chan was looking at him, slack jawed.

"Whoa, you're so cool," Chan said admiringly and Hansol shook his head. "Jisoo has been photographing Jeonghan for months and he's still trying to get his number."

Hansol rolled his eyes a little at Chan’s impeccable timing to slip in all the gossip.

"So are you guys friends now?" Seungkwan asked excitedly. Hansol waved a hand at him. The question made him feel odd, and for some reason Hansol was a little put off by the word 'friends'.

"We talked and it was nice," Hansol said shortly. Something about the night in Beijing felt private, even though he and Minghao had been out in public the whole time, and nothing really incriminating had been exchanged. Still, Hansol had found that he didn't want to tell his friends the details when he arrived home, and some part of him still wanted to keep them to himself.

"He's coming for the fashion show next week, and he asked if I'd meet up with him again," Hansol added. Seungkwan's eyes widened.

"Look at our Hansolie, he's out making friends with the celebrities," Seungkwan started teasing, reaching up to pinch his cheeks lovingly. He let out an obnoxious giggle as Hansol swatted his hand away.

"Only one big shoot and he's gone and met better people. He's forgotten about us, Seungkwan," Chan said with mock wistfulness. Hansol scoffed, taking a big swig of his drink. He was considering ordering another just so he'd be able to put up with his friends' teasing.

Hansol’s phone chimed again, but Seungkwan and Chan were messing around too much to notice. He picked it up nonchalantly, and saw that it was another message from Minghao. He pushed the excitement welling in him down so his friends wouldn't pick up on it, typing out a fast reply.

**minghao**  
_i'll see u next week right?_

**hansol**  
_of course! can't wait!!_

—

"After this, all I want is fried chicken and a stupid drama to watch."

Minghao was surrounded by clothes racks and bustling staff, his head pounding. He’d just finished modeling in the afternoon show of one of Korea’s high-end fashion showcases. Spending more than an hour getting his hair and makeup ready only to walk the runway for less than half of that time made him feel a little silly changing back into his own clothes so soon afterwards. He scanned the other models nearby who were in similar states of destroying the hair and makeup stylists’ hard work, and was reminded again of how he’d always preferred photoshoots. Fashion shows required a lot of build-up, and were never quite as satisfying as modeling for a single camera.

"Can I order pizza too?" Junhui asked from where he sat in the corner. He looked about as tired as Minghao felt.

"You can order whatever you want, Jun. Actually, you can pick the drama too,” Minghao conceded. He was looking forward to the idea of simply relaxing in the hotel room more than the specifics.

"We have good seats for this last show, and then we're free," Junhui reminded Minghao, eyes returning to his phone screen. It seemed Junhui was always getting an important call or message, but Minghao tried not to feel guilty about it when his friend always insisted it was because he was doing so well. Still, he felt bad Junhui wouldn't be able to watch their stupid drama tonight without keeping an eye on his phone too.

They made their way back out from backstage into the interior of the fashion show's building. Minghao tried not to squint at the flashing lights of cameras as he ducked his head and put on sunglasses to hide his eyes, making his way to the VIP seating area. He'd learned the hard way that there was always a reporter looking to exploit him, and that there was a certain aura he had to have to seem untouchable. 

Minghao settled into his seat and sighed, eyeing the bright white runway. At least now he wouldn't be the center of attention, but he'd resigned himself to the few cameras that still pointed his way. He scanned the audience on the other side of the runway, and felt a jolt of surprise to see a familiar face looking more handsome than Minghao had expected, wearing a simple black suit and smiling at him widely.

Hansol waved at him unabashedly, and Minghao felt the weariness melt away as he smiled back. Minghao couldn't react too strongly for fear of curious eyes on him, but Hansol was a welcome breath of fresh air. The photographer was able to take down the walls Minghao had built around himself with just a refreshingly unguarded smile.

The fashion show started, instantly creating a new spectacle. The main lights in the large room shut off as spotlights turned on and rhythmic music started playing as the audience hushed in anticipation. Minghao sat back in his chair and watched as models, both friends in his social circles and faces he'd never seen before, showed off the new pieces. Minghao always appreciated how the designers behind these showcases crafted the fabric of their pieces to accent and decorate the models' bodies in new, artful ways. It was fun to wear the new pieces himself of course, but he never tired of sitting back and watching the fun either.

As the final model made their way back down the runway and the music crescendoed to a fitting end, the lights turned back on. The high energy buzzing during the fashion show began to dampen with its finale, but Minghao's mind was still whirling excitedly at the outfits he'd just seen; he’d gotten the usual desire to wear those pieces and show them off too, the feeling that had led him to becoming a model. 

He was only pulled out of his stupor as his phone buzzed aggressively in his pocket. He sighed and pulled it out to check on it, ignoring the hustle and bustle of the people next to him rising from their seats.

**hansol**  
_that was pretty awesome & i think i got some great shots too... wanna get a drink to celebrate??_

Minghao smiled at the request. Junhui had slipped out earlier and just sent him a text as well, saying the car was waiting for him. Minghao felt a little guilty after the fuss he’d made in the changing room for cancelling, but his body was already thrumming with excitement at the idea of spending time with Hansol again. He felt a little better when Junhui’s response came without malice.

**junhui**  
_go hang out w your boy again. u can't tease me for crying over the drama now_

Minghao stood, noticing the seats next to him had mostly cleared out. The cameras were being packed away and he snuck a glance at Hansol's seat, seeing his face tight in concentration as he zipped up the giant bag of camera equipment. Hansol seemed focused on the task at hand, but he still looked up and winked at Minghao, grinning.

Hansol’s attention sent a new wave of excitement going through him, and Minghao glanced around at the lack of cameras on him for once. Maybe just maybe, he should take a leaf out of Hansol's book. The expression felt awkward after not being used a single time in the whirlwind of a day that the fashion show had taken, but he met Hansol's eyes and let his lips stretch into a refreshingly genuine smile.

—

"You already paid for dinner last time, the drinks are on me," Hansol whined as they sat at the bar, the bartender having just passed him his third drink of the night. He usually had a pretty good alcohol tolerance, but tonight he was more buzzed than usual. His smiles had gotten looser, and it had taken him an embarrassingly long time to realize how close he was sitting to Minghao.

Though on his third drink as well, it didn't seem like Minghao minded that much.

"I can't remember the last time I drank in a public bar," Minghao admitted. Hansol was more focused on his lips as he spoke, and the thought of what they would feel like was a little too prominent in his alcohol-ridden mind.

"Well, welcome to Korea," Hansol gestured, as if the bar was the whole of the country. Minghao giggled, and it was probably a little louder than the poor joke warranted. Hansol wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, but Minghao's laugh was becoming increasingly intoxicating in an entirely different way.

"You can enjoy yourself however you'd like and you won't be bothered like you are back home," Hansol said. 

Minghao took another large swig from his drink and set it down, turning back to Hansol. His lips were shining from the alcohol, and he must have noticed Hansol's gaze dropping down to them because he smirked and licked them slowly, teasing. Hansol ignored the way his heart seemed to jump. _Damn models_ , he thought. _They always know what they’re doing._

Hansol sucked in a breath as Minghao scooted closer and leaned in, his lips close to Hansol's ear before he spoke.

"What if I want to enjoy myself a little more than this?" He asked. Hansol felt a shiver go down his spine. Was he imagining the way Minghao said that? He really hoped he hadn't drunk too much not to read the situation correctly, but he spoke before he could think too much about it.

"I already told you. You can enjoy yourself however you'd like," Hansol replied. Minghao looked into his eyes again, but there was something darker in them now.

Before Hansol could think otherwise, Minghao paid for their last drinks and took his hand, holding onto it tight as he pulled him hastily from the bar. Hansol's train of thought in his head stuttered as he let himself get dragged, his body buzzing from more than just the alcohol.

They left the bar and emerged into the surrounding night air. Hansol hadn’t noticed how hot his skin had become until he felt the cold breeze rush by him. Hansol's ears were ringing a little from the loud music that had been in the bar, as the night was a lot more silent than it had been inside.

Minghao pulled him down the street and stopped abruptly, leaving Hansol to stumble before he righted himself as he looked around. It was late, and though the streets were never empty in Seoul, they were as deserted as the city gets.

"Come with me," Minghao said, giving Hansol another one of his disarming smiles and reaching for his hand again as he pulled him down a side street. It was considerably more empty than the main one, with the shops closed until the morning. Hansol’s pulse was thicker where Minghao's hand gripped his, and he felt a little like laughing even though there was nothing funny.

Minghao ducked into an alley, dimmed and out of the way of the lamps lining the street. Minghao stopped again, and Hansol was about to stupidly ask why before he looked into the model’s eyes. Minghao was so _close_. Hansol felt the brick of the building behind him as he took a step backwards.

It wasn't cold enough for their breath to be visible, but if it was, Hansol knew he would've been able to see it mingling. Minghao looked at him with lips parted, eyes searching Hansol's face. Despite his proximity, he had released his grip in Hansol's hand, letting him decide the next move. Hansol had already known what he'd wanted as he flirted more and more mindlessly in the bar, but it was right in front of him now, and he didn't want to think any further.

"Kiss me," Hansol breathed, and Minghao's eyes widened. But the hesitation only lasted a second before Minghao closed in on him, their lips pressed together and Minghao's hands holding either side of his face as he pulled him in.

Suddenly the distant sounds of the city around them began to fade. Desire seemed to flame out of nowhere from deep inside Hansol, and he wrapped his hands around Minghao's waist, pulling the thinner model into him with enough force that he knocked his head against the brick behind him. The dull pain was lost in the heat of the kiss.

Minghao sighed into Hansol's mouth, and the little whimper that left his lips only drove Hansol more crazy. He didn't care that they were in an alley, all he knew was that the clothes between them were suddenly too much. His hands were shaky as he grasped at the nice shirt Minghao had on, tugging it up so he could feel the bare skin of his waist underneath.

"Maybe..." Minghao muttered as Hansol pulled away for a second to take in a gasp of air. He reached a hand up to tug at the ends of Minghao's hair on the back of his neck, drinking in the involuntary moan as he began kissing at Minghao's neck. Minghao seemed to forget he was saying something as his head fell to the side to give Hansol more room, breathing hard..

"Maybe we should get a taxi?" Minghao offered after a minute. Hansol pulled away reluctantly, his hands still on Minghao’s body. Minghao's eyes were watching him darkly, and Hansol felt himself go a little weak in the knees at the clear lust written in his gaze.

Hansol hadn't been buzzed enough to pull a stunt like this in a long time. It wasn’t moments later that he was sitting in the backseat of the taxi with Minghao, feeling like taking his hands off the model had to be a new form of torture. By the time they'd actually made it up the elevator and into the hallway outside Minghao's hotel room, Hansol had snuck enough teasing touches and kisses that Minghao pressed his lips against his hungrily before the door had even fully shut.

Somewhere between leaving their clothes strewn across the barely used hotel room and entangling themselves under the cover, Hansol had sobered up. The desperate touches and drunken state that led to their first time were replaced by longer and deeper kisses. Hansol wondered if he could make time stop so it would never end.

After the second time Hansol had watched Minghao fall apart under him, he fell over onto his side and pulled Minghao's body against his, ignoring the layer of sweat covering both of their bodies. Hansol listened to Minghao's breathing slow, and dropped a kiss on his shoulder.

"Was that good?" Hansol asked, his voice on the edge of whispering and speaking. Minghao only hummed, and Hansol felt his body relax in his arms. Hansol felt his eyelids droop in exhaustion.

"Isn't it too late for me to go home?" Hansol muttered into Minghao's skin. He was worried MInghao might have fallen asleep too quickly to hear, but he laughed and Hansol felt the vibrations of the sound through the places their skin met.

"Is that just an excuse to stay?" Minghao asked, a tired, teasing lilt in his voice. Hansol felt sheepish, but he was a little too tired to try and hold a facade up anyway.

"Maybe," Hansol admitted. Laying in the bed with Minghao pressed close to him felt more comfortable than his own bed. He'd forgotten how nice it was to sleep next to someone.

"I don’t mind that," Minghao replied, quietly enough that even in the room with just the two of them, it was more of an admission to himself than it was a response. 

Minghao had to admit, though the past few hours had been a more enjoyable time than he'd had in a while, the way his heart felt a little tender wasn’t due to simple pleasure. Minghao recognized the feeling, but he hadn't expected to find it in Korea, miles away from his home and while speaking a language that wasn't his own.

The thought was a little scary, but Minghao decided it wasn’t for that night to unpack. Not when Hansol had already drifted off holding him, and the call of sleep beckoned too sweetly to resist.

—

Minghao woke up in his hotel room, but something felt different.

As he blinked the sleep away, it didn’t take long to figure out what. An arm rested over his body, someone else was pressed against his back, and the calm breathing of sleep fell on his shoulder. Minghao squeezed his eyes shut as the memories of last night flooded back in relentless detail.

_Lips on his neck._

_Hands on every inch of his skin._

_"Hansol, Hansol..."_

Minghao was hoping the other boy wouldn’t be horrified when he woke up.

Minghao slowly extracted himself from Hansol’s grip, moving slowly to not wake him. The photographer slept deeply enough that he didn't notice Minghao wriggling out of his grip. Minghao sighed in relief when he was free, sitting up on the edge of the bed and going to wash up.

It had been a while since he had hooked up, but he couldn't recall the last time he’d done it so recklessly. Minghao shut off the shower and stepped out, his head pounding as he shook out his wet hair with a towel and tried to push the memories to the back of his mind. He could feel the hangover already looming over him, making his thoughts cloudy. He remembered hazily that he hadn’t even told Junhui where he was. 

Minghao picked up his phone, and sure enough there were messages from his friend.

**junhui**  
_don’t make me go find u pls. plane is leaving in five hours_

Minghao sighed as he read it. Luckily enough, the message hadn't been sent that long ago, so Junhui wouldn’t have to go through on his threat. Minghao stepped out of the bathroom and glanced back at the bed. The sheets were messily wrapped around the boy he had spent the night with, who was still sleeping soundly. Hansol's hair was splayed over the pillow, soft in the morning light streaming in from the hotel curtains. Minghao had the strange urge to run his fingers through it.

It hit Minghao with a jolt to the heart that he didn't even know when he was going to see Hansol again.

Minghao’s heart usually wouldn’t have ached this much at the thought, and he definitely wasn't this impulsive. There were plenty of people in China that he’d had flings with, or had gone on a date or two with. But no one in a long time, even other models who understood, had made him feel like he could breathe freely around them. 

Except for Hansol.

It was a lot. Minghao wondered if maybe there was an easier reason behind it. It might be from being in Seoul again after so long. After all, the last time he had been here, he hadn't had to deal with the privacy issues that came with fame. Overseas he had a much lower chance of being recognized here than he did in China, and it made him feel refreshingly free.

His phone dinged in his pocket again.

**junhui**  
_dont u leave me on read hao_

Minghao sighed. An impulsive thought came to his head, one he would usually push away, but by evidence of his splitting headache and his guest, he had been entertaining impulsive thoughts more lately.

**minghao**  
_when's my next schedule_

There was a moment before Junhui responded.

**junhui**  
_next wednesday_

Minghao was still thinking, weighing the options of actually going through with it when Junhui texted again.

**junhui**  
_i cancelled ur plane ticket. new plane is on monday. hav fun <3_

Minghao was sure he'd read wrong. His jaw almost dropped, but a call came in. He pushed the answer button as soon as it appeared.

"Are you crazy?" Minghao asked, and Junhui's unmistakable laugh came through his phone speaker. Minghao found himself smiling despite himself.

"No, but you are," Junhui joked. "I know who you'll be with anyway. Don't have too much fun!"

Junhui's voice came out as a teasing lilt, and Minghao sighed. He wasn't sure what he'd expected from his best friend, but he was glad that he knew him well enough to know exactly what he wanted. Minghao made a mental note to thank him later, but definitely not right that second; that would just be embarrassing.

"See you Monday," Minghao replied, and hung up the phone. He was still glancing at it when a sleepy voice called out.

"Hmm?" Hansol murmured as he woke up, rolling over on the bed. He looked up and caught sight of Minghao with half open eyes. His expression changed instantly, and Minghao caught his cheeks beginning to redden as Hansol buried his face back into the pillow.

"Do you have a headache?" Minghao asked awkwardly. His heart was beating faster with the anticipation of how Hansol would bring up last night.

"Coffee... I need," Hansol muttered into the pillow, his voice laced with sleep. Minghao chuckled, relieved that at least he didn't sound too regretful yet.

"There should be a cafe downstairs. I can get some for you, if you want," Minghao offered, tense. Hansol shifted in the bed, but didn’t yet address the huge elephant in the room.

Hansol sat up and ran a hand through his hair. Minghao was trying not to stare, but it wasn't much good; when Hansol looked at him with his eyes endearingly still sleepy, Minghao felt something in his chest tighten.

Minghao couldn’t take it anymore. He was about to open his mouth to say something when Hansol beat him to it.

"I probably should've woken up sooner to leave," Hansol admitted, his face reddening. He looked away from Minghao, too embarrassed to make eye contact. "Do you have someplace to be soon?"

Minghao sucked in a small breath. He only hesitated for a second before speaking, trying not to lose his nerve or get his hopes up.

"My plane got rescheduled to next week. I’m in Seoul with nothing to do until then," Minghao said, aiming for nonchalance. 

Hansol hummed as a reply, standing up and grabbing his clothes from where they were still strewn across the floor. It was horribly awkward, and Minghao was wondering if he misjudged this entirely.

"Is Seoul different than you remember?" Hansol asked. 

He had been getting dressed and Minghao had averted his eyes, but he looked up now at the question. Hansol was looking at him with genuine curiosity, and paired with the casual sweater and sleep-mussed hair on top of his head, it felt a little too much like an interaction with a boyfriend for Minghao to be comfortable.

"Probably," Minghao admitted. He'd only arrived the day of the fashion show, so there hadn’t been time for sightseeing. And frankly, he had been too distracted last night by other things to pay attention to the city around him.

Hansol grinned in that carefree, unguarded way, and those feelings Minghao had been trying not to unpack earlier came rushing back.

"How about I give you the Seoul tour then, and you can tell me if it is or not?" Hansol asked.  
Minghao had to bite his lip to keep from smiling too widely. The question made the tension in the room sap away easily, and relief flooded through Minghao. Last night wasn't a mistake, then?

A month ago, they had only had one day in Beijing together. It had only been a single day, but since then that day had repeated itself in Minghao's mind more times than he was willing to count. He’d expected it never to happen again, but here Hansol was sitting in front of him now, smiling in that way that made him want to forget everything else and offering him another day, like a precious gift right in front of him. Minghao couldn’t quite believe it. He didn't want to let his excitement get away from him just yet.

"Okay, why not?" Minghao agreed. Hansol smiled brighter, and Minghao knew he was already too far gone.

—

"The river is probably the only thing that stays the same around here, isn’t it?" Minghao asked.

They were walking on the wide path along the Han river. Since Hansol and Minghao had slept in for quite a while, the sun was high above them, but it wasn't unbearably hot. They’d spoken a lot while they walked, trading stories about Seoul. Minghao was beginning to realize the confines of university life hadn't actually let him see much of the sprawling city.

"My family and I used to bring our bikes along this path," Hansol said as they stepped to the side of the path, warned of another biker’s approach by the cheerful ding of their bell. "We'd take an afternoon on the weekend to bike, and then sometimes my mom would even pack a picnic and we'd sit by the river."

When Minghao peeked over, Hansol's lips had quirked up, his eyes twinkling as he spoke of the fond memory. It tugged at Minghao's heart in a certain way; he wondered what other memories Hansol had and what other expressions would accompany them that were able to win him over so easily.

“Do you see your mom often now?” Minghao asked. 

Hansol’s eyebrows furrowed at the question, and it was so endearing that the impulse Minghao had been trying to fight to reach over and take Hansol’s hand grew too strong to resist. Minghao intertwined his fingers with Hansol’s gently, waiting to see if he’d pull away. He had to fight to keep the smile off of his face as they walked with their hands now locked together. 

“Not really,” Hansol replied. “She lives outside of the city, and I don’t get off work often enough.”

“Aren’t you off work right now? You could go visit her this week,” Minghao offered. Hansol hummed softly in response. He was swinging their hands lightly between them, and Minghao wasn’t even sure he was conscious of the movement. Minghao’s heart fluttered. He wanted to kiss him, much softer than he had done the night before.

“Let’s sit here,” Hansol pointed to a bench and quickened his gait, pulling Minghao along with him. Their hands disconnected and Hansol sat down, staring at him expectantly and tapping the bench next to him. 

Minghao smiled as he sat, placing his hands in his lap awkwardly. He wasn’t sure if Hansol wanted him to sit any closer, but the tension dissipated quickly as Hansol casually wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into his side. Minghao let himself enjoy the view, taking in the sight of other people sitting closer to the river before lifting his gaze to the buildings and the rest of the city beyond. Minghao didn’t usually get wanderlust, but the unexpected week off made the idea of exploring as much of the city as he could wonderfully appealing.

“Wait, do you mind if I do something?” Hansol shifted to face him, his eyebrows raised questioningly. Minghao looked at him curiously and nodded, watching as Hansol twisted to pull something out of his pocket. It only took a second to recognize the portable camera. Minghao smiled widely.

“Being here with you reminded me of something. You said if I took you to a park, you’d model for me,” Hansol said sheepishly, fiddling with the camera in his hands. 

The words came back to Minghao as easily as if he’d said them yesterday. It had been the first day they’d met, and Minghao had made some simple attempt at flirting. Minghao hadn’t thought much when he made the offer, but here Hansol was in front of him, with a camera in his hand and another city in the background. It was a little unreal.

“I’ll model for you,” Minghao laughed. Hansol’s lips parted slightly in surprise, as if he hadn’t actually expected Minghao to say yes. He stood quickly, looking downright giddy.

Minghao and Hansol stepped into the grass, where the bright, green blades complemented the clear, blue sky. It was one of those days where the weather looked almost too perfect. Minghao positioned himself next to one of the shadier trees out of the way of everyone else and turned around, posing with one of the usual expressions he reserved for his modeling. He was trying to be serious, but he laughed as he saw Hansol crouching down in the grass a few feet away, camera in hand and smiling widely.

It felt a little awkward at first, something Minghao wasn’t used to feeling in front of a camera, as Hansol was now someone he felt differently about compared to the regular people who would photograph him. They were both professionals though, and soon enough he was posing like usual, the positions coming naturally. Hansol was moving with an obvious ease as well, changing angles and occasionally calling out commands that Minghao would follow. It was strange because it wasn’t a shoot, but Minghao felt the fun of modeling again that he sometimes lost in the midst of everything in front of Hansol.

“Wait hold it,” Hansol whispered, his voice lower and serious as he looked up from the camera thoughtfully. “I want to get a closer shot.”

Hansol stepped closer to him and stood up. Minghao looked into the camera in a way he knew would come out perfectly in the photos later, but his heart was still beating a little erratically at the new lack of distance. Maybe it was because of last night, but he felt something charged in the air between them that hadn’t been before.

Minghao shifted even closer to Hansol, playing off another pose as an excuse to look at him, but Hansol’s camera had dropped. He watched Minghao like he was all too aware how close they were standing now, a little nervous, a little intimidated. Minghao almost smirked at the obvious awe; the other boy was like an open book.

“Do I have something on my lips?” Minghao asked quietly. The camera was forgotten as Hansol dropped his arms to his sides, one hand holding it. Hansol’s eyes darted to his lips for a split second. It was a quick break in resolve, but it hadn’t been quick enough for Minghao to miss it. 

Hansol flushed a deep red and his lips parted to speak, but he decided against it and closed them again. Minghao let out a short, amused huff of air as the sides of his lips quirked up and Hansol looked down at them again. He stepped closer.

“You know you don’t need permission to kiss me, if that’s what you want. You did plenty of it last night,” Minghao whispered. Hansol only glanced halfheartedly at their surroundings to make sure the other passerby a ways away weren’t watching before he leaned in, his lips pressing against Minghao’s unapologetically. A surprised sound caught in Minghao’s throat at the other’s eagerness. He barely had time to kiss back before Hansol pulled away again, slight embarrassment written on his features. 

“You don’t regret it? What happened yesterday?” Hansol asked hesitantly. It was sincere, and echoed exactly what Minghao had felt earlier. He was a little disappointed he hadn’t made his own feelings obvious yet. 

They were still standing a little too close to be friendly, and it was making the voice that was always in the back of his head, the one warning him he would get caught and cause some scandal that would ruin his career, get louder. Minghao pushed it away as he looked at the boy in front of him, the one that was looking at him with open interest and a little fear as he waited for him to answer. This wasn’t China, and Minghao wasn’t going to let unnecessary worries ruin this.

“If I regretted it, I would have left so you’d sneak out,” Minghao said truthfully. Though, the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth; he had been left to find himself in a similar position more times than he appreciated, and he always felt poorly afterwards. But his fame hadn’t left him with many options other than one night stands. It was inevitable.

“Oh,” Hansol said, surprise evident. His eyes searched Minghao’s face, as if looking for a clue that Minghao didn’t mean it. It made Minghao wonder how much he could have been worrying about it if his words didn’t clear it up immediately. But then Hansol’s face lit up with a giddy grin. 

“Does that mean I can kiss you again?” Hansol asked, eager at the idea. Minghao couldn’t help it and reached for Hansol’s hand, pulling him another step closer. Their secluded spot near the river was falling away from Minghao’s view easily when this boy was right in front of him.

“Just a quick one,” Minghao teased, but Hansol looked entirely serious as he leaned in without hesitation. Their lips connected again, and Minghao felt himself melt as he kissed him back. For the innocent way he was going about flirting with Minghao, Hansol was a good kisser, and it affected Minghao more than he cared to admit.

When they pulled apart, the background noise of the river and the laughter of people far away seemed quieter as they breathed in each other’s air, the shade of the tree hiding them like a precious secret. 

“I was supposed to show you the parts of Seoul you hadn’t seen yet, but instead all you’ve seen is the river and this tree,” Hansol acknowledged, chuckling at himself.

“Well I like this tree, but I think I like you more instead,” Minghao admitted. Hansol smiled without reservation, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Minghao relaxed, showing his own emotions more than he usually did as he leaned in for another kiss as sweet as Hansol himself.

—

Hansol had kind of expected this reaction when he’d invited his friends to dinner with a friend, but it was still enough to put an amused smile on his face. They were in their favorite barbeque restaurant, and Hansol had watched Chan and Seungkwan with anticipation as they walked in. It was entertaining, to say the least, to watch Seungkwan be purely stunned at the same time Chan’s jaw dropped when they caught sight of Minghao. The model turned to see what had made Hansol so amused, and let out a small chuckle at his friends’ expressions. 

“You know we can still escape if you want,” Hansol said. It was partly a joke, but he said it with a hint of truth as well. He didn’t want to make Minghao uncomfortable. It seemed his worry wasn’t needed though, when Minghao’s hand caught Hansol’s under the table and he began playing with his fingers happily.

“So you’re who Hansol has been ditching us for this week?” Seungkwan asked, placing his hands on his hips in a playfully teasing way. Chan still hadn’t gotten over his shock, his eyes not leaving Minghao’s face as if he was wondering whether or not the famous model would disappear right in front of him.

“Guilty as charged, I guess,” Minghao smiled back, a teasing twinkle in his eye that matched Seungkwan’s question. 

“I’m a big fan of you,” Chan began as he sat down.

Hansol sighed playfully, warning Minghao without malice that his friend was about to begin a tirade. Chan paid him no mind however, and began complimenting Minghao on his work. Minghao took it in stride as Seungkwan joined in at times too, looking perfectly composed. Hansol could see past it though, seeing the tips of Minghao’s ears turn red with the attention.

“Hansol, you better pay for this meal! You’re still so lucky he worked with you,” Chan ordered Hansol, who scoffed. Minghao was already waving his hand in protest.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and Hansol has been more than helpful in showing me around,” Minghao assured. 

“Plus he’s actually a great photographer,” Minghao added, looking at Hansol sheepishly. Hansol’s heart swelled with pride at the compliment.

“He is a great photographer, but so am I and Soonyoung never puts me on jobs like this! I’m so sad. We have to order right now so I can eat away my feelings,” Seungkwan said.

He had already picked up a menu with both hands when Chan began shooting back a comment about the evils of emotional eating. Hansol tuned out as Minghao let out one of his rare high-pitched giggles at the exchange. The laugh didn’t match Minghao’s serious demeanor, but that only made it more endearing in Hansol’s eyes.

“Geez, it’s like having two of Junhui around, isn’t it?” Minghao asked quietly so Hansol’s friends wouldn’t hear. Minghao’s eyes were glittering with amusement when he smiled at Hansol, leaving Hansol a little starstruck. 

“A little, but I like having them around,” Hansol teased. Minghao smiled at that.

“I like them too. You should keep them,” Minghao said, turning back as Hansol tried to hide another laugh. He was far too giggly around Minghao; his friends would catch on quickly to his feelings, if they hadn’t already.

The dinner went by pleasantly. Minghao had plenty of snarky remarks and tales that made all of them laugh out loud, and the food was gone as quickly as it arrived. Seungkwan and Chan embarrassed Hansol through stories before they pestered Minghao about his work life. Hansol found himself leaning in to hear Minghao as well, more intently focused than usual. Minghao chose his words carefully and used his hands to gesture, exuding the same kind of confidence that made him so alluring in front of a camera. Every move he made was inexplicably interesting.

“Well that went well,” Minghao commented after the dinner. 

Seungkwan and Chan waved to them from a distance away on the sidewalk, probably bothering the other passerby as they shouted their goodbyes for the fourth time. There was still the ghost of a smile on Minghao’s face from their conversations, and Hansol found himself wanting to see the full thing again. He poked Minghao’s cheek, and giggled when Minghao looked at him in confusion. The childish behavior made him break into that smile that Hansol had wanted easily. 

The two of them walked on the streets together in a companionable silence, only punctuated by observations of the city that Minghao had and Hansol would respond to. The sky was painted with streaks of orange, purple, and pink as the sun set. The sidewalks of the busy city center’s streets had thinned out, and Hansol hadn’t realized he was leading them towards his apartment until the neighborhood around him was becoming exceedingly familiar. 

“Oh,” Hansol stopped on the corner. Minghao stopped too, looking at him strangely.

“I was taking you home,” Hansol explained dumbly, then blushed at how the phrase could be implied. Minghao’s confused face washed away as he laughed. 

“Well, do you want to rent a movie or something?” Minghao asked, but he stopped himself immediately. 

“Or actually, you’ve done so much for me already... I’ll head back to my hotel then. Thank you so much for today, really, it was one of the best days off I’ve had in a long time-” Minghao rambled, embarrassed at inviting himself. it was so clearly sincere that Hansol felt bad for cutting him off, but he couldn’t take the guilty expression Minghao wore for much longer.

“A movie sounds great actually,” Hansol offered. 

This time it was Minghao’s turn to look dumbfounded. He opened his mouth as if to politely refuse, but Hansol reached for his hand and gently tugged, pulling him in the direction of his apartment building.

“Okay,” Minghao agreed, letting himself be led. Hansol felt his heart soar at the idea of spending more time with him.

“Sorry for the mess,” Hansol said after they had reached the right door, turning the key to his apartment and letting Minghao in.

Hansol watched Minghao walk around his apartment with mild interest. It was only after Hansol locked the door behind him that he realized they were truly alone for the first time since that morning. His heart stuttered.

Hansol felt a deep blush heat his cheeks, and he hoped it wasn’t obvious to Minghao as he met his gaze from across the room. The kisses they had shared on the edge of the river earlier had brought themselves inconveniently to the forefront of Hansol’s memory, and he was trying very hard not to let his eyes flit down to those same lips that had tasted so good earlier. 

“What movie do you want?” Hansol asked, trying to focus on why they were there, and not other… _activities_ they could be partaking in. 

Minghao shrugged, sitting down tentatively on the couch. He waved Hansol over with a small smile. Hansol hadn’t noticed he had been rooted to the ground until he awkwardly jerked into motion again, moving to sit next to Minghao.

“You alright?” Minghao asked carefully.

Hansol felt around himself on the couch, and scanned the coffee table halfheartedly for the television remote. He didn’t trust himself to respond, and simply turned to glance at Minghao, but it lingered longer than he had intended. After last night and today had seemed like such a dream, Hansol was wondering how long it would be until he was alone with Minghao like this again. If he was honest, it was greatly impeding his abilities to remember the remote’s location.

“Actually,” Hansol started, suddenly nervous. Minghao settled further into the couch, leaning into Hansol’s body as he looked at him expectantly. Hansol gulped as his heart beat seemed to grow more intense by tenfold.

“Can I kiss you first?” Hansol asked. Minghao’s eyes looked down at Hansol’s lips in the same manner that Hansol had been trying so hard not to earlier. The lazy sureness in Minghao’s eyes as he did it was almost enough to drive Hansol crazy.

“I thought I told you already. You don’t need to ask, silly,” Minghao responded with a slight amused huff of breath, and then he was leaning in and his lips were on Hansol’s.

Hansol sighed into the kiss. The room around him seemed to fade away as he shifted his body into a better position, leaning in for more. The nervous tension eased its way out of his muscles as his arms reached around Minghao and pulled the other’s smaller frame closer. Minghao pulled away for a second, smiling as he caught Hansol leaning in with open eyes, trying to chase his lips. Minghao swung a leg over Hansol’s legs so he was hovering over his lap. Hansol’s eyes widened at the new position, and Minghao chuckled as their lips met again.

Hansol felt a little overwhelmed at the way Minghao surrounded him, and deepened the kiss more excitedly. His hand reached behind Minghao’s neck as the other played with the neckline of his shirt. Minghao pulled away again, but this time he removed his shirt with a practiced ease. Hansol couldn’t hide the sound that left his mouth as he kissed him afterwards, his hands able to roam freely over the newly revealed skin and lightly toned muscle.

Hansol had already known where this was going long before he led Minghao off the couch and into the bedroom, but it felt so _right_ that it was easy. There were giggles falling off of both of their kiss-bruised lips as they slowly stripped the clothing off of each other, and Hansol felt like he was floating as Minghao touched all of him again. Pleasure rolled in waves over him much quicker than the night before now that they knew where to touch, where to kiss, and what would make the other moan the loudest.

By the time night had truly fallen, they were both bone tired. Hansol came back from cleaning up to find Minghao laying down with the comforters pulled up and an arm outstretched in Hansol’s direction, a small whine falling from his lips. Hansol laid in his bed, the one he had slept in for almost three years now alone, surprised at how much better it felt with Minghao there as well, curled into Hansol’s chest as he sighed contentedly. Hansol hoped Minghao couldn’t hear the way his heart was beating loudly as he played with the unruly curls on Minghao’s head.

Minghao’s breathing evened out as he found sleep easily, but Hansol’s eyes stayed open. He glanced at his familiar dresser, the familiar window situated above it, the familiar night sky shining through the way it always had. Hansol’s heart hadn’t calmed down yet, still swelling in his chest a little more than he could bear.

Everything around him was familiar. Everything felt the same, except for the boy that was wrapped up in Hansol’s arms, sleeping soundly. 

Somehow, that seemed to make all the difference.

—

It went on like that.

They hadn’t planned it, but Minghao and Hansol found themselves spending the days together. It was easy to do with Minghao’s week in Seoul acting as the perfect excuse, and each other’s company was much more pleasant than the idea of Minghao wandering the streets by himself. They spent the days exploring different neighborhoods of Seoul that not even Hansol visited often, eating at new restaurants, and talking endlessly. Then night would fall, and like clockwork, they would fall into each other’s arms at Minghao’s hotel room or in Hansol’s place.

It was a routine that Minghao thought he was liking a little too much.

“My plane is tomorrow,” Minghao whispered in the late hours of his last day in Seoul. Hansol hummed in acknowledgement, running his finger in mindless circles over Minghao’s exposed shoulder that poked out of the comforter wrapped around them.

Minghao’s heart beat loud in his ears as he thought about it. If he had thought the night together in Beijing had been unique, this past week had been so much more. The conversation they’d shared over macarons on that first fateful day was just one gem compared to the talks with Hansol over this week. They had clicked so easily, and Minghao wondered if he would be lucky enough for it to repeat again. He was horribly scared that it wouldn’t.

“I’ll take you to the airport if you want,” Hansol suggested. Minghao squeezed his eyes shut, a surge of emotion running through him that he pushed away unwillingly. Laying here with Hansol felt so detached from China, from the facade he had to keep up..

But the next morning came. And he went and boarded the plane, the same sinking feeling that he was walking away from something important plaguing him relentlessly. He tried to ignore it on the plane but even after five hours, he couldn’t shake it.

Minghao spotted Junhui in the airport parking lot, lugging his baggage over and watching his friend look up from his phone to grin in his direction. Though Minghao felt a little like he had left part of himself in Seoul, Junhui walking over and hugging him in the sweet way where he squeezed just a little too hard was like a glue putting himself together shoddily again.

“Did you have fun?” Junhui teased as he opened the trunk, throwing Minghao’s luggage in ungracefully. “You’re not off the hook from telling me everything, you know.”

Junhui climbed into the driver’s seat and Minghao sat next to him, taking off his mask and sighing. He felt like he could breathe again as he stared out the window. He’d been keeping his head down, trying not to let anyone recognize him since he boarded the plane.

“I never assumed I was,” Minghao conceded, a small smile pulling at his lips at the familiarity of his friend’s antics. 

Junhui glanced over at him, then sighed as he complied with Minghao’s halfhearted reminder to keep his eyes on the road as he drove. Junhui hummed and dropped his teasing, turning on the radio and preceding to sing loudly.

Minghao didn’t know if he’d done it on purpose because he noticed Minghao felt a little off, or if Junhui’s eccentricity in itself was something he had missed without realizing it, but his heart felt a little lighter. Minghao stared out the window as familiar roads passed by again, singing along to the radio. He’d check his phone later to see Hansol’s latest message asking if he’d gotten off the plane alright, which would set off the same hollow feeling again.

But for now he was home, and so far he was okay with that.

—

“Two more magazine shoots, then the meeting with the company,” Junhui informed Minghao as he changed out of his fifth outfit for the day. 

Minghao sighed as he looked in the mirror and adjusted his collar, feeling exhaustion resting heavy on his shoulders. He could see it in his eyes as well, and he blinked a few times to rid the glazed look; the camera would show the truth of his exhaustion. Pictures never lied. 

Though with the photographer that was shooting him right now, Minghao felt like he’d needed to work twice as hard with his awkward angles for the pictures to come out right.

His phone buzzed on the counter, and Minghao glanced at it mindlessly. It was a habit he had adopted in the past few months since a certain person had started texting him more often. Though sometimes he got disappointed with a simple e-mail notification, this time he was lucky.

**hansol**  
_u remember the street food from beijing?? channie still hates me for giving him some last night hehe he’s been complaining his tongue still hurts from the spiciness_

Minghao chuckled at the text and typed back a quick response, not bothering to hide his small smile when only Junhui was here to witness it.

“Are you going to tell him about the fashion show or am I going to have to get his number?” 

Junhui had his phone in his lap, and was watching Minghao with his eyebrows raised. Minghao waved him away. This conversation was one that they had been repeating for the past two weeks.

“I don’t know why you won’t tell him,” Junhui commented. It was a tired phrase by now. 

Minghao looked at him and saw that Junhui wasn’t really annoyed, just looking at him with genuine curiosity. Minghao turned, avoiding the gaze by looking again in the mirror. He reached up to his neckline to arrange the fabric, not for the first time in the past few minutes, but he already knew it was a waste. The clothes weren’t the problem, after all; there was no hiding the way the stress seemed to be pressing on his whole body, making them look awkward hanging on his tense frame.

Minghao sighed. Just at Junhui’s single comment, the thoughts that whirled around his mind when he was alone ran through his mind again one after the other. What if the time he’d spent in Seoul with Hansol was really all there was? What was the point of them meeting up? If they were going to date, it would just be this endlessly waiting for each other back and forth between hundreds of miles all the time. And the worst of all: when it came down to it, Minghao had a large following here in China. If it got out that Hansol was his _boyfriend_ …

Even though Minghao knew all the complications that would involve, he couldn’t deny that his heart stupidly skipped a beat at the word ‘boyfriend’, just like it did whenever a new text would chime. He was only setting himself up for heartbreak at this point.

“I don’t know why either,” Minghao admitted lamely. For once, Junhui didn’t respond, and somehow that made Minghao feel even worse.

“Are you ready in there?” A staff member knocked on the door. Minghao called back automatically, pulling at his sleeves in preparation to continue the shoot. Junhui nodded at him, watching his friend with mixed emotions. His focus was entirely on Minghao for once instead of also partly on his phone.

Not for the first time, Minghao pushed thoughts of Hansol away as he was met with faces expecting Xu Minghao, talented and professional model. He bowed in front of the staff as he stood before the camera. He could almost taste the high expectations in the air, and the pressure that always followed him only seemed to weigh a little heavier today.

The camera shutter began to click away and he smiled, posing once again.

—

Soonyoung sighed, looking at the list of photographers at his disposal laying on his desk.

He knew he was underusing some of them. The amazing feedback from critics that Hansol had gotten for his shoot with Xu Minghao was proof enough. He kept wondering now if the photographers he had been sending out for smaller shoots were just as great as his top workers, and it made him feel a little rattled; he had thought he’d known his employees enough. But Hansol had surprised him.

Now with the Shanghai fashion show in front of him, Soonyoung had a choice. All the top magazines had booked their spots for one of the year’s top fashion events in Asia, and Soonyoung would have usually sent the usual (Jisoo and Seokmin always come to mind) and been done with it. This year though, he had already booked flights for them plus Hansol, and he was curious about what other fresh talent may have escaped his attention.

A laugh from outside of his office made him look up. None other than Hansol himself was walking by his office, coffee cup in hand with light steam wafting above, with Chan walking alongside him. The laughter was clearly Chan’s as he spoke again. Hansol waved at Soonyoung through the glass door, and Soonyoung pulled his lips tight from stress into a small smile in response.

_Well maybe that’s an idea_ , Soonyoung thought to himself as the photographers passed out of his view. Soonyoung loaded up his computer, and searched through the archives just in case. Chan had been doing smaller pieces recently. They usually only took up one or two pages of every other issue, but his work was still nice. And he had spent enough time working here that Soonyoung trusted him to turn in good work consistently.

Soonyoung decided it was worth a shot. What did he have to lose, really? There could be more diversity in the magazine’s style as a result, and that would be a good thing for their sales and following. 

_At least Hansol will have a friend along this time_ , Soonyoung huffed in amusement at the idea. Chan was notorious for his friendliness around the company. Even if he didn’t take the best pictures at the Shanghai show, it would lighten up the dynamic between the photographers at the high-stakes event.

Soonyoung requested a meeting to give them their next assignment, and soon enough, four plane tickets were booked heading to Shanghai.

—

“Oh god, I can’t believe I’m really going!” Chan said, certainly not for the first time, as the sound of rolling wheels on luggage trailed them through the busy airport. Hansol patted his head, laughing at the annoyed way Chan shook his head to fix his hair afterward. Chan had voiced his excitement all day, but Hansol couldn’t deny it was infectious.

The Shanghai fashion show had been declared an exclusive event. Multiple high fashion brands were unveiling glimpses of their new collections, and though the exact models that would appear hadn’t been revealed to increase speculation, big names were being thrown around. 

Including Xu Minghao.

Hansol had been pleased when he got the assignment from Soonyoung, knowing his shoot with Minghao before had let him prove himself in the eyes of his boss. He was finally rising in the company after waiting so long, but it was still nerve wracking getting sent to an event like this. 

**hansol**  
_ik it’s supposed to b a secret, but are u gonna b at the fashion show in shanghai?? i got sent there & i wanna see youu_

**minghao**  
_idk will i??_

**hansol**  
_hmph_

Those specific texts were only from two days ago, but they were already buried under endless conversation since then. Hansol and Minghao had been texting often enough for the incoming messages to become a new constant on his phone. Even though they were constantly in contact online, the idea of actually _seeing_ the model was making Hansol’s head a little dizzy.

Hansol had wondered if their time in Seoul was just a fun vacation for Minghao, hence why he hadn’t let him know if he’d be at the fashion show when Hansol brought it up. Hansol couldn’t help but feel he had grown a rather unfortunate attachment in that case, since his heart skipped a beat at the idea of kissing Minghao’s lips again. Hansol was wondering if maybe he shouldn’t let his thoughts be so consumed over Minghao, not when the model lived in a different country and they hadn’t really discussed what they were, but he couldn’t help it.

The memories of walking by the Han river or shopping in Gangnam were flashing through his brain, all linked through the common string of a certain Chinese model he’d become rather infatuated with. Hansol shut his eyes, letting himself relive them like a guilty pleasure as the plane took off on the way to Shanghai.

—

“You don’t think we’ll run into him, will we? Minghao wouldn’t stay in the same hotel as us, right?” Chan asked as he pulled on Hansol’s sleeve, dragging him down the hallway towards the elevator. Hansol snorted, not responding. Chan was already worked up with the possibilities Shanghai had to offer; he wouldn’t pay Hansol’s answer any mind, anyway.

They had just arrived in Shanghai hours ago, and had found their hotel. It was surprisingly a nicer one that Soonyoung had splurged on for the photographers he’d sent. Hansol had barely dropped his luggage, ready for a nap in a real bed instead of an uncomfortable plane seat, when Chan had grabbed him, practically bouncing with energy., He was already rambling about stocking up on snacks to eat as he begged Hansol to join him, and. Hansol found he couldn’t be upset when his friend was just cute.

“Or what about another model? Like Zhang Yixing? Do you think we’ll see him?” Chan asked. Hansol felt a little bad about it, but he had already begun to tune out the rest of Chan’s rambling, his thoughts stuck on what he’d asked earlier. 

He hadn’t let his hopes get up since they’d gotten off the plane. But he definitely did want to run into Minghao.

“We’ll see cool people tomorrow, Channie, don’t worry,” Hansol assured him, patting his arm in a pause between Chan’s wondering. Chan acknowledged him barely, pulling Hansol out of the elevator.

“Whoa, look at all the snacks!” Chan exclaimed. They had stepped out right in front of the hotel’s built-in convenience store. Before Hansol could stop him, Chan was already walking straight to the neatly displayed cup ramen and candies.

“I’m going to grab a few drinks from the bar,” Hansol said, the thought of a wine sounding good right about now. Chan nodded at him, already reaching for different snacks and starting a pile in his arms.

Hansol sighed as he walked away, still tired from the flight. He looked for the bar with mild confusion, not helped by the foreign signs. He wandered into it eventually, but had barely taken a step inside when he stopped in his tracks, instantly much more alert. 

The irony of the situation was evident considering Chan’s earlier question, but it was a thought he barely addressed when the rest of his mind was going haywire. Seated at the bar, not having seen him yet, was none other than Minghao by himself. He had a black floppy hat on, and was staring down at his phone to be inconspicuous, but Hansol would recognize him anywhere. Hansol’s heart started to race at the mere sight of him. He unglued his feet from where they were stuck to the floor, forcing himself to walk closer to the bar.

Minghao hadn’t noticed him yet. Hansol was trying to look away, but was failing pretty miserably as he muttered a request to the bartender. The bored worker turned away to work on the drink as Hansol squeezed his eyes shut, his thoughts racing.

China was Minghao’s home turf, and he was much more popular here. Hansol knew that, but it meant he didn’t know how the other would react. What if Minghao ignored him? Why had Minghao not told him he was going to be here when he had clearly been planning to come, when he’d even planned to stay at the same hotel as him?

What if Hansol had read their entire relationship wrong?

He wasn’t able to get himself into much further of a spiral when he heard his name quietly whispered in the direction Minghao sat. His back straightened instantly, his head shooting up to lock eyes with the very boy he was worrying about.

Minghao looked equally surprised to see Hansol there, but after glancing back and forth, the expression had already disappeared. Hansol had to remember how to walk again as Minghao ushered him over. He almost tripped over his feet to sit next to him.

Being next to Minghao after months felt surreal. Obviously they had talked on the phone, had texted endlessly. Hansol had spent nights dreaming about the kisses they’d shared. But it had all become so far away and detached, and Hansol had found it harder to believe the same connection would be there when they saw each other in person again. It turned out he didn’t have to worry as Minghao’s leg brushed against his. Hansol had to stop himself from inhaling sharply.

“You’re here,” Hansol said dumbly. He wished Minghao would look at him; Hansol had to stop himself from staring openly, but Minghao hadn’t even glanced at him once after inviting him to sit closer.

There was a silence, and Hansol started to panic. Minghao shifted in his seat, taking a slow sip of his drink. When he’d set it down again, his other hand had reached over to rest on Hansol’s thigh. Hansol was shocked at the way the small touch seemed to ignite something in him, even after their time apart.

“Follow me,” Minghao said, standing up suddenly. Hansol didn’t question it, getting to his feet quickly. Minghao seemed the picture of composure, as Hansol realized he was leading him to the elevator. Minghao got in first and nodded his head as a quiet signal to Hansol. Hansol stepped in too, trying to remember how to breathe.

The elevator doors closed and Hansol found himself pushed against the wall.

Minghao’s lips were on his. It was instinct the way Hansol kissed back without hesitation, a moan slipping, muffled by the sudden heat. It had been so _long_ , been months since he’d been kissed like this, and Hansol’s arms were frozen by his side in shock as the elevator started its ascent, giving them precious time alone.

“Missed you,” Minghao murmured against his skin, his voice husky with the confession. He kissed the edge of Hansol’s lips, moving down towards Hansol’s neck as he let out a breathy sigh. Hansol let his head lean back against the wall, his hands falling to Minghao’s waist.

The elevator dinged and just as suddenly as it had started it was over. Minghao pulled away and Hansol remained against the wall, looking at the model with a dumbfounded expression as the doors opened to a random floor. Hansol glanced at the elevator buttons, seeing one of the top floors’ numbers brightly lit up to display their newly arrived destination.

Minghao pulled him out of the elevator, and Hansol let him guide him down the hall. Hansol recognized this from the months they’d spent in Seoul, and after the turn their elevator ride had taken, Hansol felt more than pleased with the turn his evening had taken. It didn’t take long before Minghao found the right door, fumbling with the keys before he unlocked it and pulled the two of them into the blissfully empty room.

This was all so familiar, from the way they stumbled through the room to the way they smiled breathlessly between kisses to the way they tore at each other’s clothing with fumbling hands. It was familiar, but that didn’t mean it was boring; if anything, Hansol felt like his veins were on fire with Minghao’s every touch. He had been so worried about whether they would still work after this time, but he realized now they fit together even better than before.

Minghao pushed him to sit down on the edge of the bed, standing in between Hansol’s legs. Hansol was consumed by the way Minghao was kissing him, relishing the way Minghao seemed to know just the way he liked it. But the thoughts that had plagued him every time he had sent a text in the past week were still there quietly nagging in the back of his brain. He found the resolve deep inside him to pull away reluctantly.

“Wait,” Hansol muttered, pulling away. He felt small as he looked up to match Minghao’s gaze, not able to stop himself from drinking in the model’s body as his eyes moved upward. Minghao’s confusion was evident, but his hand was still petting at Hansol’s hair lovingly, and his chest was still rising and falling to match his labored breathing. It was all very distracting.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d be here in Shanghai when I asked?” Hansol asked. 

Minghao’s lips parted as if to respond, but closed quickly. His tongue swiped over them, coating them in a new sheen of saliva, but the desire behind it seemed dampened. He leaned down to peck Hansol’s lips, but stepped back out of his grasp afterwards. 

Hansol had the sinking feeling in his gut that he’d just made a mistake.

“We’re not doing this then, are we?” Minghao asked. Hansol was disappointed as the desire dissipated between them, only proving Minghao right. But he didn’t miss how he had avoided the question.

“What do you mean? Did you just want… sex?” Hansol asked disbelievingly. 

Minghao winced at the accusation, and Hansol felt his stomach drop. He felt vulnerable suddenly sitting with his top off and he got up, passing by Minghao to grab his shirt and put it on.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Minghao started, grabbing at Hansol’s shirt. Hansol shifted out of the attempt to touch him. Everything had felt so right just seconds ago, but the tension in the room was thickening at an alarming rate.

“That came out wrong, wait Hansol, let me explain,” Minghao said desperately. 

Hansol turned around to face him. He didn’t have the energy to fight, but after Minghao’s reaction to his question, he wasn’t exactly hoping for this to go rosy either.

“I’ve been thinking,” Minghao started. The pause was mildly unbearable. “What are we actually doing?” 

Hansol’s mind blanked. It was a simple question, but it actually wasn’t at all. They had never discussed it, and it had been like an itch he couldn’t scratch for a while now. Hansol still couldn’t feel whether this was going to be a conversation he disliked.

“Does it matter? I like you and you like me, at least I assume,” Hansol answered hopefully. 

Minghao sighed, not meeting his gaze. He turned to put on his own shirt as well, and the fact that both of them were fully clothed now made the conversation seem more important. Minghao sat next to him.

“I do like you,” Minghao said, but trailed off. Hansol’s heart fluttered naively at the words, but he had a bad feeling about where this was going.

“But with my job… people know me. It’s not that simple.”

Hansol didn’t reply. Minghao’s hand reached to cover Hansol’s, squeezing tightly. It was comforting despite the uncharted territory they were currently entering.

“Do I need to sign a contract or something?” Hansol asked, the slightest of teasing smiles on his face. He was disheartened when it wasn’t returned.

“No, nothing like that. Just…” Minghao pulled his hand away and scooted back, bringing one knee to his chest. It looked like a defense mechanism, and Hansol felt hurt that Minghao looked scared to be talking about this. 

“This thing we have… it’s good,” Minghao said. Hansol watched as Minghao stared at the bedsheets between them, his face contorted as he chose his words carefully. Even as Hansol was clinging onto every word, he couldn’t help but think even Minghao’s concentration was sweet.

“Do you get tired of it? Traveling back and forth? The waiting?” Minghao asked. Hansol scooted up on the bed to match Minghao’s position, twisting so he was facing him. Minghao was looking at him with wide eyes, and Hansol almost smiled.

“So we’re acknowledging this is a thing we’re doing, or are going to do? Meeting each other when we can, where we can?”

Minghao thought for a second before nodding. 

“That’s what we’ve been doing, so yeah?”

“Then if what we have is good… why are you worrying?”

Minghao’s back straightened, and he looked at Hansol incredulously.

“You mean… you don’t mind?”

The tension was gone from the air now, and Hansol felt it was safe to smile. He shifted onto his knees and leaned over, kissing the top of Minghao’s head. He was relieved. The rush of emotions earlier had felt awful, and he already found himself wanting to never repeat it.

“I like you. I like talking to you and I like kissing you, and I damn well plan to keep doing it.”

Minghao visibly deflated at the words. Hansol laughed, pushing him back on the bed. They both flopped over, giggling a little nervously, and Hansol hadn’t known that what he was saying was the right thing, but it evidently was.

Minghao rolled over and his eyes matched Hansol’s, a disbelieving but relieved look on his face.

“You’re really okay with it?”

Hansol reached over, ruffling Minghao’s hair. Hansol remembered the first day he’d seen him, when he’d adjusted his hair in the mirror on the set, checking it over carefully even after the stylists had declared him ready. Minghao didn’t bother to fix it now after Hansol touched it however, and Hansol couldn’t help but think that laying on this bed together with messy hair and no trace of make-up, Minghao was more breathtaking than he had ever seen him.

“Yes. I know you’re famous, and I know this can be scary. But I feel like myself when I’m with you, and I don’t want it to end,” Hansol whispered, bearing the truth for Minghao to hear. His heart was thumping, and he wasn’t good with words; he’d simply blurted out the most honest thing he could think of. He didn’t know how to reassure Minghao, but the dizzying way he was watching Hansol like he had put the stars in the sky made him feel like he had done alright.

“Now can you please kiss me again?” Hansol asked.

Minghao laughed genuinely, unguarded from the unexpected question. Minghao’s eyes scrunched, glittering. Hansol felt his heart swell with just how much he had missed him.

The kiss in the elevator may have been finding the path, but the kisses they shared now felt like coming home.

—

The Shanghai show was busier than any event he’d been to for a while now.

Minghao had spent the three-day long event modeling on the runway or being hustled to pictorials for magazines or certain designer brands. The big fashion shows like this, the ones that happened only a few times per year, always made Minghao feel like he was caught up in a constant blur of activity until he collapsed. He would come back to the hotel room late each night just to wake up and do it all over in the morning.

This year was different, however. When Minghao came back home this year, it was to a hotel bed that Hansol shared. Despite spending their nights together, Minghao would still try to find Hansol during the day too within the runway’s front row of cameramen or quickly passing by in between events, only long enough for a quick exchanged smile. Minghao would visibly relax when he spotted Hansol with the event badge jingling around his neck, running around with other photographers.

Minghao’s make-up artists had to work extra hard this week to cover the circles under his eyes from staying up with Hansol. Normally he’d feel awful on such little sleep, but he spent the days in good spirits; knowing he’d see Hansol later made Minghao’s mood brighten. If he was honest, it had changed everything: the pictures were coming out better, the clothes felt better on the runway, and Junhui had been getting more swamped than usual with hopefuls trying to score a shoot later.

On the last night of the event, Minghao wanted it to be special. He had finished a little earlier today, and rushed to get everything ready, from the perfect bottle of wine to room service to the right music. As the clock ticked closer to when Hansol would wrap up, Minghao grew more anxious, excitement bubbling.

Right before Hansol unlocked the room with his spare key, Minghao grew worried. What if it was too much? Hansol had assured him they didn’t need to do anything they weren’t ready for, that they were fine like they were. They hadn’t done anything really prepared like this before, nothing like a proper date. Minghao felt bad about that; if he was going to take anyone out properly, it had to be Hansol. It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to feel strongly enough for someone like this. 

“Jesus, tonight had twice as many outfits as yesterday, I swear- wait, what’s all this?” Hansol said once he caught sight of everything. Minghao stood beside the set-up, smiling a little shyly.

“Well, they usually save the last fashion show for the biggest brands. Trying to end with a bang, I guess,” Minghao answered Hansol in an attempt to be nonchalant, but Hansol looked like he’d already forgotten everything about the event he’d just come from.

“Is this… for me?” Hansol asked incredulously. The way he was watching Minghao, lips parted in surprise and eyes glittering, made him know without a doubt that he had fallen very hard for this boy.

“Do you like it?” Minghao asked quietly. The space between them felt very large as Minghao’s heart thundered. He was grateful when Hansol closed the distance within seconds, reaching both hands up to cup Minghao’s face, and wasting no time before kissing him confidently. 

Minghao relaxed. He sunk down onto the edge of the bed, and smiled into the kiss as Hansol’s lips chased him even as he sat. Hansol pulled away, his thumb rubbing softly against Minghao’s cheek.

“I love it,” Hansol whispered. Minghao felt his cheeks heat up, and was about to look down before he was stopped when Hansol captured him in another kiss.

Minghao had gone all out with the set-up. Soft jazz was playing in the background from the speaker connected to his phone. The rolling table provided by the hotel had been rolled out and a white tablecloth was draped over it. Two chairs were on either side of the table, and Minghao had played with the light switches for a good while to get the perfect dimmed effect. The curtains had been pulled back so Shanghai was in full display in the background, and the city lights illuminated the black sky beyond the window. It was cheesy, but the look on Hansol’s face when he took it all in made Minghao feel it was all worth it.

Hansol looked a little out of his element as they ate, still in awe until Minghao coaxed him to talk about what he had been up to. Minghao hadn’t even caught sight of him in between scurrying around; he’d had two pictorials, and then had left. Hansol started talking about the shoot he had been assisting, admiring the photography techniques he’d witnessed. Minghao sat back, letting the words wash over him long past their plates emptying. 

Time slipped by quickly. They both poured a glass of wine, enjoying the luxurious atmosphere. Hansol stood with his glass in hand and looked at Minghao.

“Come out on the balcony with me?”

_If what we have is good, then why are you worrying?_

Before he met Hansol, Minghao would have hid from the possibility of being seen. But Hansol’s words from days before echoed in his mind. He hadn’t realized it, but Minghao was slowly starting to believe them. Hansol was smiling in a way that made him just _shine_. 

Minghao was guilty of the limits his job may put on Hansol, now and in the future, but he would never feel guilty for making him wear that smile.

Hansol was still watching him. Minghao looked out at the glowing skyline of Shanghai, at the darkness that they were blanketed under from the top floor of the hotel. Just for tonight, he decided, he would let those worries go. He would just enjoy this.

They opened the glass sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony, the slight breeze pleasantly greeting them. Up here far above the street level and hidden in the endless lights of the city, Minghao intertwined his fingers with Hansol’s. They were silent for a while as Minghao’s heart raced, his body relaxed but feeling a little overwhelmed.

“Thank you for this,” Hansol said quietly. There was so little distance between them that Minghao could point out the little dimple on his right cheek as his lips stretched into a small smile, could see the way his eyelids were a little droopy from the busy day. Minghao wanted to hold him this close forever.

Minghao leaned in softly, hoping he was expressing to Hansol what he couldn’t in words. They may have started in a bit of a whirlwind, but Minghao wanted to protect what they’d become behind the closed doors of hotel rooms and in the streets of different cities. He wanted to leave the days of sneaking around for one-night stands with men he worried would out him behind. He couldn’t think of arms he wanted to lay in more than the ones right in front of him.

It was with this certainty that he didn’t mind kissing out in the open. With Hansol’s hands holding his waist gently, sensing how fragile he was right now, Minghao found that he couldn’t bring himself to care.

He didn’t know yet that this one time he let down his guard would be his downfall.

—

Minghao froze when he saw the pictures for the first time. 

Minghao and Junhui had been lounging in Minghao’s flat in Beijing, content to just lay around and watch endless television for Minghao’s blissful week off after the fashion show. Those plans were ruined, however, when Junhui’s phone rang, and a very angry call from the company came through.

“What do you mean pictures?” Junhui asked, looking at Minghao in confusion. Minghao’s mind raced with the possibilities, wondering what incriminating things they could have caught before a terrible dread set into his stomach. 

Minghao sat very still in hopes that it was anything other than what he suspected, but Junhui’s gasp as he opened the e-mail that came in seconds later confirmed his worst fear.

It contained a series of photos clearly taken from one of the buildings surrounding his Shanghai hotel. He and Hansol were standing close together, enough to already be suspicious, as the camera zoomed in enough to catch their smiles. If that wasn’t bad enough, they were kissing in some of the later pictures.

The room was deadly silent. Minghao was already scolding himself ruthlessly in his head. 

_Models had been seen heading to that hotel already, of course they had cameras trained on the rooms. Why’d you kiss him with the curtains open? Why’d you even go out on the balcony? What were you thinking?_

Stupid. Minghao had been so stupid.

“Okay. What do we do now?” Junhui asked carefully. Minghao was still pumped with adrenaline and the fear of how this could destroy him. As Junhui turned to gauge his response, Minghao exhaled shakily.

“Hey,” Junhui said softly, locking his phone so the screen went black. Though the real pictures were hidden from view, they’d already imprinted themselves in Minghao’s brain. He had been caught clear as day, kissing a man. Not any man either, but _Hansol_. Sweet, caring Hansol. Everything had been going so well before this.

_This is all your fault._

Junhui pulled Minghao in for a hug, and Minghao clung onto his arms as he felt his world crumble. No major fashion magazine or brand would hire him now. He was surprised the company hadn’t outright fired him. The careful front he’d had to craft for all these years, the hiding that had become so ingrained into him didn’t mean anything. 

He hadn’t realized he was sobbing until his breaths dissolved into shaky gasps. Junhui only held him tighter, pulling Minghao onto his lap and letting the younger bury his face in his shoulder. Minghao hadn’t let himself fall apart in front of Junhui like this since they’d been all alone in Korea, missing his home and grateful someone else understood.

“I-I’m going to have _nothing_ now-” Minghao mumbled sorrowfully. Junhui pulled away, looking at him with a fierce protectiveness in his eyes that caught him instantly off guard.

“That’s not true. You have me. You have Hansol,” Junhui said, and as the last word left his mouth, he softened. “Actually, you should probably call Hansol.”

“I can’t! I probably ruined his career too-”

“You don’t know that,” Junhui cut him off. “The company is already trying to take down everything. They might not even be able to identify him.”

Minghao scoffed, not taking comfort in the words. The shame was already shredding him inside. Hansol had trusted him completely when Minghao brought up his fears of this happening. It left him with a bitter taste in his mouth to think about what that trust had left them with now.

“I can’t call him. Not yet, at least,” Minghao said. Junhui looked at him in that way that made Minghao drop his gaze, not wanting to face more guilt. 

After a moment Junhui sighed. The next thing Minghao knew, he’d been pulled back in gently for another hug. Minghao felt tears threaten to spill all over again, thankful that at least his best friend was still here when everything was falling apart.

As Junhui’s phone rang again, probably from the company, he made no move to answer it. The rings filled the silence of the apartment and then faded. Minghao closed his eyes, feeling safe at least for now. 

For now, he didn’t yet have to face the world.

—

“Chan, what is it?” Hansol asked after his friend burst into his office, looking frazzled. 

“You mean you haven’t seen yet?” Chan asked. Hansol shook his head slowly, confused. 

He rolled out of the way hastily as Chan stepped forward and took over the computer. Chan opened a search and typed frantically, not speaking. His lack of words was starting to make Hansol nervous. 

“Chan, really, what-”

The page finally loaded and Hansol cut himself off, cursing under his breath.

Pictures of him and Minghao filled the screen, taken in a good enough quality that they were both easily identifiable. Hansol felt the world seem to fall away under his feet from the shock as the situation set in. He wondered vaguely if he would lose his job, or if his relatives that hadn’t known about his sexuality would sneer at him in disgust the next time they met. 

The consequences he might face, however, felt very small when he looked at Minghao’s worry-free smile that had somehow made its way onto the Internet, easy for anyone to see.

“Uh, I think I need to call someone real quick,” Hansol said, standing abruptly. Chan had been watching him anxiously for a reaction, and he stepped out of his way as Hansol pushed by. He was grateful he wasn’t followed.

Hansol pushed the bathroom door open and stumbled to the sink, splashing water over his face as he forced in a deep breath. His sexuality hadn’t been something he’d worked to hide, but by the speed with which Chan had pulled up the pictures, they had already gone somewhat viral. He felt horribly exposed at the idea of people seeing him with Minghao like that. It had been a private moment, obvious from just one glance at the pictures. Who would have thought it was okay to capture something like that? 

Hansol pulled his phone out of his pocket. He hadn’t realized his hands were trembling slightly until he checked it, his heart leaping with hope that Minghao had called him. There was no doubt in his mind that Minghao had already heard about this mess. But there was no new message to greet him.

Hansol called him instead, putting it on speaker in the empty bathroom and staring as it rang. It passed more than three rings, and Hansol got a sinking feeling in his stomach. 

_What if he blames me for this? Does he hate me now?_

The automated voice asking for a message sounded bitter by the third time Hansol had called and been redirected to it. He sighed, dropping his phone into his pocket and giving up for now. 

Minghao never missed his calls, though. Hansol couldn’t shake the feeling that he would still go unanswered later.

He closed his eyes and pressed his palms into his eyelids, trying to clear his brain. The images of him and Minghao, caught in such a vulnerable position, were there even with his eyes closed. Minghao’s hands on his waist. Minghao’s lips on his. All of it was out in the open now.

_Maybe he’s busy. He’ll call me later._

Hansol knew he was probably kidding himself, but it helped a little. He inhaled another shaky breath, looking in the mirror. His eyes shone with unspilled tears, and he muttered darkly as he leaned over to splash his face again. He didn’t feel the least bit presentable, but this would have to do. He still had to get through the day, after all.

Hansol stepped out of the bathroom, catching Seungkwan’s eyes from across the room. Hansol could read the concern in them that meant either Chan had already given him the news or he’d found out himself, and Hansol gave him a small, reassuring smile. It felt horrendously fake to him, but it seemed to appease Seungkwan, who nodded at him with still worried eyes.

Hansol walked back to his desk, trying to ignore the way his world seemed to be tilted in a new direction. His hands were trembling as he hid them in his pockets. It didn’t escape his notice that more than the usual pairs of eyes followed him as he returned.

—

_Contract terminated._

Minghao had heard the words, but they still felt like a cruel, horrendous dream. Maybe he’d open his eyes in a few minutes and he’d be in Shanghai again, waking up in Hansol’s arms. Hansol would kiss him in that disarming way, and Minghao would sigh in relief.

He already knew it was a fleeting wish, but he naively reached down to pinch his arm anyway.

Minghao’s penthouse door swung open and slammed shut carelessly. Junhui stalked in, but he couldn’t find the energy to address him yet. Minghao knew he should be upset about the company getting rid of him, but he had been expecting it. All of this was going to come and catch up with him eventually; he’d rather just get it over with.

To be fair, the company had kept their word in trying to take down the pictures, but the tabloids had gotten a hold of them too quickly. The pictures had spread like wildfire, and Minghao found himself the source of the hottest stories dropped within hours. The incriminating quality of the pictures had made the story hot enough to spread past the fashion circles into the general Chinese population gossip, since the fact that it was undeniably him was so unavoidable. Even if Minghao tried to escape into another industry, this would follow him.

“I did everything I could. I swear,” Junhui spoke up.

Minghao turned to face him for the first time since he had entered. Junhui was rooted to the spot only feet away from the couch Minghao was lounging on, repeatedly clenching his fists in the way he did only when he was very upset.

The sight was a little too raw for Minghao to keep watching. He refocused back on the spot on the wall he had been staring at.

“I know you did,” he whispered. Minghao had always known Junhui would fight for him with everything he had, but he was just so numb to bad news already. After all, what else could go wrong at this point?

“We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry. It’ll blow over soon,” Junhui said. Minghao heard rustling behind him. He figured the boy was already organizing things in the way he did when he was stressed. 

“Okay,” Minghao agreed without his heart in it. 

He looked up at the paintings decorating his walls.This new knowledge about him would be enough to put him on the blacklist and make a new job difficult to find. Without his income, how long would it be before he had to sell those paintings? He vaguely wondered if he had already attended the last art auction of his life without realizing it. 

Junhui sat down next to him on the couch, carrying two cup ramens and cheap chopsticks. Minghao eyed them uninterestedly for a second. 

This had become their routine whenever one of them felt down, dating back to college days in Seoul: trashy convenience store snacks with equally bad dramas on the TV. It usually provided enough distraction for the two of them until it was the early morning, and they were laughing a little too loudly out of exhaustion. That sweet point of the night was the best part; the problem would feel so small, and the path to better days would seem so easy to follow. They hadn’t tested it with a mistake of this caliber before though, and Minghao wondered if it would still prove to be enough.

Minghao shifted in his seat so he was more comfortable, and ignored Junhui’s relieved sigh as he took one of the noodle packages. He tried not to wince at the reaction, but it was justified; Minghao hadn’t done much other than lay in bed or sit on the couch for the past few days, letting himself swim in his own thoughts since disaster struck.

Junhui was flicking through channels vaguely with the remote, his eyes trained on the television before he spoke again.

“You still haven’t called.”

Minghao didn’t answer the accusation right away. He stared down at the unopened cup of ramen in his hands. 

If he was honest with himself, the guilt still felt suffocating. How was he supposed to call Hansol when he had been the one to let all this happen? When all of this was his fault? Hansol was so kind that he might assure Minghao he didn’t do anything wrong, but Minghao wouldn’t be able to bear that. 

Then again, if Hansol was angry with him and didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, he didn’t think he’d be able to handle that very well either.

“I’ll call him soon,” Minghao promised. It was an empty one, but Junhui accepted it for now. Minghao didn’t like being forced to talk immediately, and he knew that. 

Minghao sat back and took slow bites of the noodles, his eyes glassily aimed at the television. He wanted desperately to just fall into the heavy drama plot, but even as it unfolded, his thoughts were hundreds of miles away in Seoul, recalling better days in certain missed company.

—

It had been two weeks. Minghao still hadn’t called him.

Thankfully, the tabloids hadn’t seemed to get hold of his identity, but it was very obvious to the people he worked with. Hansol felt the eyes on him whenever he moved around the office now. Seungkwan had taken to bringing him his coffee, and Chan had been taking lunch to his office rather than make him brave the prying eyes outside. 

Hansol hadn’t let himself fall apart. He had the growing, horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that this was going to be the end of it after all, and the irony wasn’t lost on him; for all his worries about messing up, pushing Minghao away, or growing boring to the other boy, he hadn’t expected this to be the root of the problem. It didn’t help that every time he picked up his camera he remembered Minghao with a blinding smile, posing for him. 

“Did you call again?” Seungkwan asked. The three of them were sitting in Hansol’s office. Hansol was poking his fork halfheartedly around the salad Chan had brought him. 

“Yeah. Last night,” he answered. 

If he was honest with himself, his heart lurched every time his phone rang or he got a new message, feeling a fresh wave of disappointment when it turned out to be work contacts. He’d called twice more the first day, and countless more the first few days afterwards. This week, he’d only broken and called twice so far. It seemed futile at this point.

“That’s it,” Chan said, placing his salad rather forcefully on the desk, standing up. Hansol’s eyes shot straight to him, shocked at the sudden outburst.

“I saw how you cared for him, and trust me when I say, he looked at you the same way,” Chan said. His eyes felt like they were boring holes into Hansol, and Hansol sighed. He appreciated the gesture, really, but it felt like he was getting nowhere.

“Chan, can you please-“

“No! Listen,” Chan insisted. Hansol looked up to meet his gaze, seeing the younger wasn’t going to let it go. He sat back and accepted his fate.

“Maybe I don’t know him all that well, but him ignoring you doesn’t make sense to me. And you deserve more than just being cut off like this.”

“Well, what do you want me to do?” Hansol asked. The question sounded a little raw, but Hansol couldn’t help it; it had been the same question plaguing him as he tossed and turned at night, his thoughts too loud to sleep. 

“What? Do you want me to fly to China or something?” 

He sputtered it as a wild suggestion, but it struck a chord immediately. He sat up straighter, and Chan gave him a satisfied smile.

“You’re kidding,” Seungkwan said. They both turned to take in Seungkwan’s eyes wide with shock, flicking back and forth between them.

_Be the voice of reason in this, please_ , Hansol mentally begged Seungkwan. He knew it was more than a little crazy to fly to China without reason or invitation, but his heart was singing more and more with each passing second.

“I love it,” Seungkwan said finally, a smile on his face as well. 

Hansol groaned, but even as he did it, he was smiling. He wondered if it was the first time he’d done so since disaster had struck.

“Even if it doesn’t end well, at least it’s closure,” Chan said. Hansol screwed his eyes shut as his mind raced. Would it be a little crazy to just leave work early now?

_At least you’ll see him again._

The memory appeared behind his closed eyelids. Minghao looking nervous in front of the dinner atmosphere he’d set up, when he usually oozed confidence. Minghao kissing him in the elevator until he felt he would melt with desire, then kissing him as if he was precious in the hotel room. Minghao holding his hand as he pointed out parts of Seoul that were unfamiliar. Even Minghao on the first day, posing in front of his camera with overwhelming charisma. Hansol had felt the connection even from that first day, like something he’d never felt before.

There was no way it was gone. He refused to believe it.

Hansol stood up, and when both of his friends looked at him with a glint in their eyes, he could tell they already knew what he was going to say.

“If Soonyoung asks where I went, I’m sick.”

Hours later, he was boarding a flight to Beijing. 

—

“You _what_?”

“I just landed in Beijing thirty minutes ago. What’s Minghao’s address?”

Junhui could hardly believe what he was hearing. He’d given Hansol his number ages ago, but it had hardly ever been used. He’d called the day the pictures came out, probably in desperation when Minghao didn’t answer. Junhui had reluctantly ignored the call to respect his friend’s wishes, but when he caught sight of the new message on his phone now, he’d been the one to call instead.

**hansol**  
_can you call me please? i’m in beijing_

Junhui wondered faintly if Minghao had fallen for the craziest person he could find. But even as he considered withholding the details Hansol wanted, he thought it was sweet.

“What if there’s legal reasons he hasn’t contacted you? Did you think of that?” Junhui said. He knew he was being a little unfair by being difficult, but he wanted to see how far Hansol would push.

“Don’t care,” Hansol grunted as the background noise of traffic filled the speaker. 

_Goodness, he really is at the airport, is he?_

Junhui felt his resolve soften a little, and made a mental note to apologize to Minghao. 

“Junhui, please,” Hansol pleaded softer this time.

“If he really doesn’t want to see me, I’ll leave and never bother either of you again. But I just can’t leave it like this. I can’t.”

Junhui sighed. He was actually standing outside of Minghao’s apartment, and he took the moment to look at the door. It looked inconspicuous from the outside, but Junhui’s heart ached at the idea of his friend in there now. Minghao was usually so sure of what he wanted, but this time he was truly lost. Junhui imagined Hansol standing in this same position within an hour, and wondered how long it would take him to find the courage to knock, not knowing what to expect inside. 

“Okay, I’ll give you the address,” Junhui breathed, lowering his voice and walking down the hall to avoid being heard. 

“Thank you,” Hansol breathed shakily on the other end, and Junhui had to bite his lip to hide from smiling. Hansol had always seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve, but the lengths he had gone to now made Junhui see what had been so alluring about him to Minghao.

“Good luck,” Junhui said before hanging up, truly meaning it. 

—

When the knock came on Minghao’s door, he was half-asleep on the couch. 

It had been hard enough for him to sleep the past week, but pure exhaustion had taken over as the television played low in the background. With rest finally in his grasp, he was slightly disappointed he’d been forced awake.

“Junhui?” he called in the direction of the door sleepily. Junhui had left hours ago, at least according to what Minghao thought. Maybe he had left something behind.

There was a pause before the voice spoke, one that was definitely not Junhui’s.

“Minghao? Can you open the door please?”

Minghao shot up on his couch, almost choking on a gasp. His mind was racing, already caught in a battle of not wanting to face him at all while also wanting desperately to run to the door. He’d been putting off this moment, hoping he wouldn’t have to face the shame.

It seemed Hansol had made it so he couldn’t wait any longer.

“Minghao?” Hansol called again from the other side of his door. 

_The other side of his door._

For so long, it had been miles and borders that dictated their time together. Hansol had thrown it all out the window. Minghao found himself stumbling to the door. He didn’t let himself think any further, his heart already caught in his throat, as he opened it.

Minghao was certain he looked a mess; after all, he was in pajamas and a bathrobe, his hair uncombed and eyes puffy. But Hansol looked at him like he had hung the stars.

The shame and doubt seemed to drive themselves away from his mind. If Minghao had known this was all it would take to quit the thoughts plaguing him, he would have invited him earlier.

“ _Minghao_ ,” Hansol breathed, stepping forward. The distance closed easily.

This kiss was more overwhelming than any before it. Kissing Hansol in the elevator in Shanghai had been indulgent after time apart. It had been physical, rough, fueled by desire. But this felt a thousand times stronger than that.

As their lips brushed, Minghao wondered if this was what drinking felt like in a desert. He wanted to pull Hansol closer, but he was scared, his hands trembling as they danced over his body, not sure where to touch first. Minghao didn’t know when he’d convinced himself of it, but he realized he’d thought he’d never be able to kiss him again.

“Wait, wait,” Hansol whispered as Minghao pressed kisses on the edge of his lips. 

Minghao pulled away and saw the tears falling, the eyes he adored shining with the emotions that caused them to spill over. Minghao sighed, heartbroken at the sight. He leaned in and kissed the skin where they had fallen, tasting salt on his lips as his heart cracked into pieces. His kisses on Hansol’s face were usually light and fluttering, but this time Minghao was deliberate, hoping Hansol could read the meaning in every one.

_I miss you. I’m sorry. I love you._

“You didn’t call me,” Hansol said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Minghao had been bracing himself for the accusation since Hansol had appeared at his door like a dream, imagining it tearful or angry. The way he stated it as a simple fact stung even worse.

“I didn’t,” Minghao admitted. 

He pulled away, the guilt weighing him down familiarly after these weeks. Hansol watched him with his back to the door. Minghao had only stepped back once, but the distance felt a little uncrossable.

Hansol didn’t have to ask. The question was written in the air between them: _why?_

“This is my fault,” Minghao said, his voice cracking. 

He saw the flash of pain in Hansol’s eyes at the sound. Those eyes that always showed a little too much of what he was feeling. There was no reason they would have changed, but it hurt Minghao a little that he could still read them so easily.

“Why would it be your fault?” Hansol asked. Minghao looked down, unable to meet his eyes.

“I should have known there’d be cameras. There’s _always_ been cameras,” Minghao said, frustration welling. He’d had cameras on him for years now, tracking his every move, but the thought of it now was sickening. 

“That’s not your fault,” Hansol said, his voice cold. Minghao looked up, and there his intention was written clearly in Hansol’s eyes again: determination to make Minghao understand. Minghao wanted to protest, but he let him talk.

“ _You_ weren’t the one who took the pictures. _You_ weren’t the one who leaked them or posted them or whatever. So what if you forgot about the cameras once? You should have gotten the decency of privacy. You deserved that, at least.”

Hansol was breathing heavier now. Minghao could hear how he had been waiting to say this in each word.

“So I don’t care if you made a mistake. _This wasn’t your fault._ ”

Minghao looked down, trying to hide the tears. He laughed without humor after; even here in front of the person who probably believed in him the most, he was trying to hide.

“I hurt you too,” Minghao said guiltily. “Do you still have your job?” 

Minghao met his gaze and Hansol cocked his head, biting his lip worriedly.

“Yes. You?” The words were filled with dread, and Minghao could tell Hansol didn’t need him shaking his head to know the answer.

“Oh, Minghao. I’m sorry,” Hansol sighed as Minghao finally broke in front of him.

Hansol sank to the floor with him as sobs wracked his body. The pain felt fresh all over again as Hansol pulled him in, whispering sweetly and rubbing his back soothingly. Minghao had lost his job, his reputation, everything he’d worked for that had defined him for years. But he still couldn’t say he had lost everything, not when Hansol was here with him.

His sobs subsided and the apartment was silent. It didn’t feel quite as heavy as it had been for weeks now, Minghao realized as they laid in front of his apartment door. Hansol seemed to make it all a little smaller. Minghao could breathe easier.

“I can help you,” Hansol suggested. Minghao sighed, preparing to protest, but Hansol shushed him.

“You’re talented. You can come to Korea and look for work. Even if it’s not the high fashion brands of China, someone will take you. They’ll be fools to not take you,” Hansol spoke quickly, then huffed in frustration. “They were fools to let you go for something like this anyway.”

Minghao had repressed that same frustration all his life, but especially as his fame grew. He’d been so scared to let his true self show, but he had nothing left to hide anymore. Hansol spoke optimistically of a future that Minghao had never let himself imagine, had never let himself consider as an option. Being an out model had never been in the cards for him.

Hansol’s hand rested in his. Minghao squeezed it as he let himself dream for a stolen second about the possibilities.

“I can’t let you do this. I can’t break into pieces and drag you down with it, and then let you pick them up after.”

“Who said I’m going to pick them up for you?” Hansol said. 

Minghao looked up at him. Hansol’s eyes wandered, scanning every inch of his face. Minghao recognized the way his eyes flitted, and felt his heart lurch again at the realization of how much he had missed even this tiny detail.

Hansol leaned in, pressing a sweet kiss to his forehead. Minghao sighed as his body relaxed under the tender touch, and wondered vaguely if Hansol had a magical effect on him.

“You need to want the life you’re building from these pieces,” Hansol whispered against his skin. He pulled away and petted Minghao’s hair, his hands playing with the locks with careful adoration.

“You always loved modeling. I can tell you still want that,” Hansol said, sighing as he stared into Minghao’s eyes again. 

“You never wanted the constant cameras.”

Minghao breathed out shakily. In a way he hadn't ever before, he felt _seen_. Was it really possible that Hansol knew him this well? As he sat pathetically on the floor of his apartment, after an international flight he’d taken just to see him, Hansol glowed with an undeniable goodness. Minghao wondered how he had gotten so lucky.

“You can do smaller jobs. Maybe it’s not as glamorous as this, but you won’t have to hide anymore.” 

Minghao got onto his knees, and watched Hansol suck in a breath as Minghao cupped his face. It was a gesture he’d done so many times, but it felt so different. He leaned in and kissed him sweetly, grateful, adoring. 

Minghao knew in his heart he never wanted to spend a night in another person’s bed, not when Hansol was here with him.

“Will you stay with me for that?” Minghao breathed out the question. 

Their lips were still close enough to brush, and Hansol smiled before he kissed him again. Moonlight streamed in and shined on the two boys trying to piece a new life together.

For the first time in a long time, Minghao saw a brighter future ahead of him.

“I’ll stay with you for everything.”

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the end! i hope you enjoyed lots <33
> 
> this fic turned into my lil baby for three months & i luv it a lot! i spent like,, a week and a half rearranging sentences over & over so pls accept my mess lmao
> 
> kudos & comments are greatly appreciated, and i hope you have a lovely day or night wherever u are, lovely reader :D


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